Dawn of Light- the 72nd Hunger Games
by Reader Castellan
Summary: Seventy two years have passed by and the games go on. Darkness spreads, casting a veil of hopelessness and despair on all. Twenty four tributes enter the arena- again, and only one will return. But will they be able to fight the darkness around them and witness the dawn of light that is soon approaching...? The tale of the 72nd Games... SYOT CLOSED
1. Chapter 1

**Dawn of Light**

 **Prologue**

* * *

Winning had been easy for him. Two years ago, he had claimed the victor's crown, using his wits and cunning to get his well-deserved victory. Mentoring only once, he had already brought his tribute home.

Every outer district wanted to have Charles Chevrolet as its mentor.

It was not really possible, and the young man of eighteen could only work for Six. Or that's what he had thought, until he was called in gamemaker Matthew Hayes' office.

"Yes?" he asked in his overly excited and childish voice.

"Mr. Chevrolet," Hayes said, "This is regarding the district you mentor."

No greetings. No wasting time. Getting right to the point.

"What about it?!" Charles asked, pouting. To the capitol, he had always been a little unstable, a psychopath even, without any fear or regret but Charles knew better.

"Can you drop the act?" Hayes muttered in a somewhat irritated voice. During his private sessions, Charles had burnt the entire survival station, killing two Avoxes. Hayes had taken it quite personally. Everyone knew it. The Gamemaker was also aware that Charles was completely fine. Not only fine, he was exceptionally intelligent and exceptionally villainous. Neither ever mentioned it.

"Nah!" Charles said with a huge grin, "I can't Matthew!"

Hayes sighed.

"Anyway, so I have decided that instead of District Six, you will mentor District Eight this year."

Charles' expression changed to the exact opposite of what it had been. His face solemn, a little angry even. Although his eyes were empty, just as they always were.

"Why?" he demanded.

"The mentor from Eight died recently," Hayes replied, without any sadness or feeling, "So I decided to give them a good mentor. A reliable victor."

Charles laughed. He? Reliable? The boy who killed his own mother when he was eight? His laugh was even more high pitched than before, and Hayes didn't even try to hide his irritation by pressing his hands on his ears.

"You have to be joking!" Charles said.

"I don't joke."

"I can tell that by looking at your face. But why did you choose me?"

Hayes let a smirk play across his lips. Maybe for the first time Charles had asked a question like a human. Devoid of curiosity, yes, but at least it wasn't that high pitched laughing again. He should have had filmed it.

"You brought a victor in your very first year."

"That's because Anya is pretty much like me," Charles replied genuinely. There were rumours that he, in fact, did hold affections for Anya Ford. Charles was himself not sure whether they were rumours or not. He knew one thing though; he didn't like her in _that_ way. That would be so embarrassing. Charles Chevrolet in love, sheesh! It would be a blow to his flawless image of an intimidating and childish psychopath. And Charles cared about his image too much.

"Doesn't matter. You can still take one of them to the final ten, I'm certain of it."

Suddenly, Charles felt very tired of this discussion. Why was he here anyway? Hayes could have just called and let him know. The eighteen-year-old boy simply shrugged, and before Hayes could say anything more, walked out of his office with a simple wave. There, that took care of everything.

The boy didn't want to leave Six. His younger brother, Arden, was an actual psychopath. Only Charles could keep him in control. If he was gone… Charles didn't even want to think about all the mischief Arden could cause. In fact, even he was frightened that Arden could kill him someday, and yet he continued to love his brother. He was worried, more worried than he usually was.

But what had happened, had happened. There was nothing Charles could do about it…

* * *

 **Hello, hello! To new readers, welcome. To my old friends, welcome back! Here is the fourth SYOT of mine, and although the previous one is still in progress, I decided to open the submissions for the new one. Dawn of Light is the sequel to Glass Glade, so it will obviously have a subplot. I hope that doesn't bother you much. Anyway, what do you think of Charles? It was a pleasure to write for him in Glass Glade and I am so excited to write for him again.**

 **I don't have any rules as such, just fill out the form completely and don't submit recycled tributes. Please. I know it's tempting but still. You can submit any number of tributes, but I will most probably accept only one per person. Most probably.**

 **Also, as my old readers are very well aware of, I don't write about any mature themes. ANY matured themes. Just think that the rating of this story is k+ and then fill out the form.**

 **I come across as very strict when I read back the A/N but honestly, I'm not this bad! XD**

 **Lastly, enjoy!**

 **Tribute form:**

 **Name:**

 **Age:**

 **Gender:**

 **District (at least three):**

 **Personality (be descriptive. Around six-seven sentences will be good enough):**

 **Backstory (I can work with simple things too):**

 **Appearance (I don't mind a dark skinned D1 tribute or a slightly lighter skin D11 one. Although it will be good if you do stick to the original. I'm not going to turn away your submission just because they don't look right though.):**

 **Face claim (you can send links if you don't know the actor's name):**

 **Family/Friends (if they are very important to the tribute then you can elaborate, but as such this is not that important):**

 **Reaped/Volunteered:**

 **Reaction/Reason:**

 **Weapon of choice/ special skills (you can talk about anything your tribute is good at. Whether it be running, fist-fighting, survival skills, archery, etc.):**

 **Recommended training score (likely to change):**

 **Interview angle (funny, adorable, etc. Please remember that people can have stage fright too):**

 **Strengths (personality, at least three-six):**

 **Weaknesses (personality, should be at least equal to the number of strengths):**

 **Allies :**

 **Thoughts on the Capitol and the Games :**

 **Anything else:**

 **I hope the form isn't too long. The deadline is till August 13. I think I would have finished writing Garden of Roses by then anyway. Hopefully.**

 **So, thank you for reading, and I am looking forward to your submissions. I know they will be great!**

 **Have a great day!**


	2. Chapter 2

"Ruby, I want the honest answer. Are you doing it?"

Sasha Flame, victor of the sixty eighth hunger games, stared at the beautiful girl in front of him with something that was barely concealed rage as well as amusement. He didn't even know why he was there, but he was, and that was all that mattered.

Ruby folded her arms across her chest and gave him a look.

"Trust me Sasha," she said, "I won't lie to you."

"You will have no problem in doing that," Sasha replied, glaring at his newly wed bride. When they had first met, they hated each other. They still hated each other, and took pleasure in the mutual animosity they had. Neither could survive a day without insulting the other.

"Okay fine. I have lied to you a thousand times before but this time, I'm telling the truth."

Sasha pursed his lips. He knew his wife was lying, and being the dangerous woman she was, it would be wise to not push her any further. But he had to, for his cause.

"Ruby, if anyone gets their hands on the cloning machine… you do realise what can happen, right?"

"I do," Ruby replied, "But there is no cloning machine."

"I don't trust engineers like you, especially if they are from One."

"You don't have to, Sasha."

Two years ago, Ruby had built up an entire cloning system. It was not a simple technique to clone animals, but a very high-tech structure to clone humans and give them powers like a mutation, without affecting the clone's physical or emotional appearance. It had been a grand plan, and the achievement Ruby was personally proud of. And then Sasha and his friends had to turn up, kill her men _and_ destroy the machine. Along with the blueprints!

She still wondered about all the things that would have happened if it were not so. She would have made special clones for President Snow, who would have had crushed all the rebels with their help. She would not have to hide her identity and get a plastic surgery, because Snow would have killed her if she would have failed in making the machine. Ruby sighed. She was a victor, and yet she had to hide this way, under the name of Micky, which she absolutely loathed. Micky?! What kind of name was that?! It just didn't suit her!

But if that had happened, she wouldn't be a rebel now. She wouldn't have been married to her most beloved foe. She wouldn't even have got to humiliate him, and that would mean losing the biggest source of entertainment of her life. She couldn't afford that.

"Micky-"

"Don't call me _that!_ " she said.

Sasha rolled his eyes at her and then forced a smile on his face.

"You brought Opal to life when you first made the machine. I understand, her being your sister and all, but now you both have to be hidden all the time. You are rumoured to have been murdered by rebels and Opal was herself a traitor. Her clone is too."

"They are the same," Ruby replied.

"They aren't," Sasha contradicted her in a soft voice, "Opal was your sister. She's dead. The girl who stays here is just her clone, created by you."

His wife's eyes hardened at his words and soon she had grabbed his collar tightly, looking at him with an intense rage. Sasha faced her calmly.

"Don't ever say that."

He slapped her hand away.

"Just because you don't want to admit it, doesn't mean it's not real."

"FINE! I have made the cloning machine again!" she replied hysterically, her voice too high. Sasha flinched. He was already so uncomfortable with talking to girls. Ruby was the only girl he could talk to without feeling weird and stuttering but listening to her yell at him… it was taking away his courage.

"I can't live without my experiments the same way you can't live without your drugs!"

Sasha's throat went dry at that and he bit his lip. He didn't like it when his addiction was brought up, because there was nothing he could do to overcome it. he didn't want to overcome it.

"Whatever Ruby," he said, "But our mission should not suffer due to your… experiments."

"It won't."

 **The second prologue! What do you think of Sasha and Ruby? I have received some really good submissions and please let the forms flow in. Thank you!**


	3. Chapter 3

"Come on Haley, we're getting late!"

Haley looked up at Cress and rolled her eyes. Who could ever tell he was a rebel? The twenty-eight-year-old man had become a fan of the victor of the seventy first Games, Anya Ford. Too big a fan and Haley found it extremely amusing.

"Why do I have to come?"

"Come on!" Cress said in exasperation, "I'll miss her show!"

Haley sighed. Anya's belly dance had become too famous in the Capitol. Way too famous. Maybe it was because she knew how to belly dance, maybe because she was so stunning, or maybe because she had a really spectacular victory last year. She didn't know.

So when they did finally get to the venue, Cress pushed through the masses for the front row and stared at the stage intently. There was going to be a musical act and he wanted it to begin already. After all, Anya was the lead heroine. He was getting impatient to see her.

"Calm down Cress!" Haley said with a laugh, "She'll be here anytime soon."

Haley frowned at the masses that had gathered. Even for the Capitol's standards, there were a lot of people present there. A few of them looked as if they were from middle class families and they shouldn't be able to even afford the tickets. There was something wrong. Were the tickets being sold in black? But who would dare to do that? The security in the Capitol was too rough. The punishment for selling tickets in black was even greater. Most of the criminals didn't dare to do it, and those who did were always caught. Haley shook her head. It was none of her business.

Unlike Cress, she wasn't exactly keen on the show. No, she was here to talk to Anya. Maybe she could convince her to join in the expanding pool of rebellious victors. At least that's what she hoped. She had been unable to convince Charles, partly because she was slightly afraid of the psychopath, but maybe it would work with Anya.

Cress whistled, snapping her out of her thoughts.

The star was there and Cress felt his heart hammering against his ribs. Anya was so beautiful! And her beautiful blue costume only complimented her beauty even more. And that veil over her face, it just added more to it! he clapped loudly and Anya bowed slightly before starting.

She sure knew how to move.

Her moves were flawless, and the ring of fire on the stage brought out the best in her dance. Finally, she pulled out her veil and winked at the audience and Cress cheered again as she threw her veil towards the crowd. He didn't know whether she knew that he was such a desperate fan of hers, but the fact that the veil was soon in his hands made him grin like an idiot.

"GO GIRL!" he cheered, standing up and clapping until he was pulled back by his friend.

"Calm down!" Haley said.

"Can't calm down Haley! Just look at her!"

"Don't look so much," she replied, "She's ten years younger than you."

"Oh come on! Age shouldn't be a factor when you admire someone!"

"There are way too many people here…"

"Of course! Who wouldn't want to watch her?"

"Alan didn't come," Haley replied, knowing he would make a face. He did.

"Alan doesn't want to go anywhere. He's always shut in his room, doing some stuff that none of us know."

"Don't say that! He works much more than you do!"

"Yeah right. Works much more than me. Duh."

Haley rolled her eyes and turned to the stage even as the act begun. This was going to be so interesting.

* * *

Anya Ford was slightly tired after the show, but it was fun. Being a victor, she had at least managed to realise her dream of being an actress. That's what counted in her mind. Anya sat down in her chair and stared at the mirror as she took off her jewellery. There was a knock on her door.

"Come in."

The door opened and in stepped Anya's friend and former mentor. With a fake moustache and beard, anyone else would not be able to recognise him. But Anya could recognise Charles Chevrolet anywhere. She sighed and forced herself to smile.

"You were in the audience?"

"Of course. It was your show. I had to be there."

Anya smiled genuinely at that but then her gaze hardened as she spoke.

"I saw a very large crowd there."

Charles pulled out a sheaf of banknotes and offered it to her with a sly smile.

"You always give me opportunities to do good business," he replied simply.

"Don't tell me you did it again!" Anya said in amusement, as if that was exactly what she had expected. Charles shrugged. Selling tickets in black had been too easy. There were so many people who were interested, and he had made a lot of money. Anya grinned and pocketed the notes.

"I don't get why we try to get money in this way. We already earn a lot as victors."

"Cheating people is fun," Chip replied with a smirk.

"It actually is," Anya replied and the two laughed as Chip settled himself next to her.

"Tomorrow, back to District Six," Anya said with a sigh, "And then back to Capitol."

"District Eight for me," Chip replied in a slight sour way, "I'm worried for Arden. As you know very well, he's dangerous."

"Take him to the Capitol with you, like last year," Anya suggested, "Nothing will be able to say no to the Golden Psycho Boy of District Six anyway."

Chip laughed at that.

"Nice name," he said with a grin.

"Well, it suits you so," she replied with a wink.

Before Charles could say anything, there was another knock on the door. He frowned and Anya's eyes widened. She mouthed the word _Peacekeepers_ and that made Charles dive behind the curtain. He came out of it and then ran towards the closet and threw himself in as there was another knock. When he was out of sight, Anya opened the door.

"Hi!" she said, looking at the matured victors from District Four. What could Haley and Cress want from her? She smiled sweetly at them.

"Uh Anya, your veil…" Cress said as his voice faltered, holding out the piece of cloth.

"Oh! Thanks!" Anya said, but looking at the slight blush on Cress' face she added, "If you want, you can keep it."

"Really?"

"Of course!"

"Thanks!"

Haley cleared her throat and then looked at the newest victor politely.

"If you don't mind, I wish to talk to you. In private. There's nobody here, right?"

Anya paused for a second and then nodded.

"Nobody at all! You can talk freely here!"

Cress shut the door at that and the two women settled down. Anya looked at, waiting. Haley cleared her throat again. Her throat suddenly felt soar. She hoped she wouldn't catch a cold. That wouldn't be nice.

And then talked. She talked about why she wanted Anya on the team and the young girl listened intently.

"Well," she said, "I certainly want to say that it's no problem, but the fact is that there is a problem."

The pair from Four sighed together.

"However, that doesn't mean I'm not ready to help you. I just don't want to… fight, and I hope you understand why."

Haley's face broke into a huge smile and she nodded eagerly. "I understand very well," she replied and Anya smiled. And then her expression turned to that of rage.

"They have forced me into mindless killing," she said softly, "I'm eager for any kind of revenge."

"If our plans work," Cress said, "Then we'll be free in less than five years."

"They will work," Haley said, "Especially since Anya has decided to help us out."

The younger victor gave her a quick hug and for the first time her eyes were moist. One couldn't even tell if she was hurt from the Games, she always concealed it so well. A part of her did enjoy the glamour but it wasn't worth the number of people she had murdered mindlessly. It wasn't worth at all.

"So tomorrow, before we head over to our respective Districts, can we meet up?" Cress asked.

"Of course we can," Anya replied.

"Good. We'll escort you to the headquarters."

There was a rebel headquarters as well! That was new, and simply amazing! Almost like in movies. Goodness, it was going to be so much fun!

* * *

"You are serious about helping them out?" Charles asked, running out of the closet as soon as the two elder mentors had left.

"Yes."

"But why?" he asked in mild amusement, "I thought you like the Capitol."

"I think I do like the Capitol," Anya replied with a sly smirk, "But I will like it much more if it were mine."

A light smile played across Chip's lips as Anya smirked at him. The Games would be gone, and maybe Anya could herself gain the presidential power. She would make sure that the Capitolites would themselves make her the queen.

Of course, her and Charles. For how could she even think about not including him?

* * *

 **Here is the last prologue, and I hope you enjoyed it. What do you think of the characters? From the next chapter we'll be at the Reapings! I'm sure you are as excited as I am.**

 **So, I have decided the tributes. It was VERY hard, in all honesty, and there were fifty-eight submissions. I never thought so many people would submit and I am grateful to all of you. I also apologise to everyone who couldn't make it. it was nothing against you, I swear. Just too many submissions. In some cases, I had to give your tribute a district that was not mentioned on the form and I apologise for that too.**

 **Tribute List**

 **D1M: King Tychun (18)**

 **D1F: Gretchen Golden (18)**

 **D2M: Sel Raze (17)**

 **D2F: Appalachia Bryce (18)**

 **D3M: Maverick Zhao (17)**

 **D3F: Nine Price (16)**

 **D4M: Sagittarius Ryans (18)**

 **D4F: Mirabel Grant (17)**

 **D5M: Talon Darqet (15)**

 **D5F: Deena Carters (13)**

 **D6M: Roslin Chevalier (16)**

 **D6F: Illea Calhage (16)**

 **D7M: Nikona Linwood (17)**

 **D7F: Lyra Stafford (16)**

 **D8M: Justin Auben (17)**

 **D8F: Fancy Viridian (15)**

 **D9M: Durain Haefelle (18)**

 **D9F: Clarke Aldridge (18)**

 **D10M: Ryder Venison (16)**

 **D10F: Judah Pocks (16)**

 **D11M: Lennon Pareski (12)**

 **D11F: Winifred Chintz (17)**

 **D12M: Ashleigh Micas (18)**

 **D12F: Erin Denver (17)**

 **Congratulations to those who made it in! Thank you all for submitting.**

 **Have a great day!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Reapings**

 **District One**

* * *

 **King Tychun (18) D1M**

A person had different reasons to feel blessed. In some cases, it was money, some cases the fact that the person was alive. For my parents, I was the blessing, as they themselves said. A divine blessing, someone who would define success, someone who would carve his own path and a person who would rule the entire world with his strength and power.

I stared at the mirror, brushing back my violet dyed hair, a slight smirk on my face. Being tall and athletic was always good, but with the image I had created for myself, my teeth and tattoos went the best. Dyed to look like steel, a simple smile from me was enough to scare anyone. Add to that the tattoo that went from my lower lip to my chin. It really fulfilled the purpose.

Making sure that the tuxedo looked good on me, I turned away from the mirror. The room I inhabited was lavish, with all the luxuries one could only dream of in the Outer Districts. Or maybe not even that. It didn't matter. None of them did.

I glanced at my watch. There was still thirty left till I left home for the Reapings, but I'd have to get there. There would be too many people who would want to volunteer, and I could not let them get the chance.

There was a very sophisticated knock on the door and I frowned. It must be either mother or father.

"Come in."

The door opened and in stepped my mother, her eyes shining with pride, adoration and something else that I enjoyed. It was as if she was looking at something so unworldly and divine, along with being dangerous, that she could not comprehend it. But there was also a happiness in her eyes.

"You're looking very good."

I smiled easily at her, a thing I did only for her and my father. "Thanks."

"I never thought this day would come," she said, her eyes bleak, "That you will volunteer. You- are going to the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games! Your father always wanted to volunteer himself, but, as you know, he didn't have the valour to do it. Nor the greatness. Plus, there were so many other problems. But you overcame them all! No, it's not your destiny to be a mere goldsmith. You were born for greatness. And I will witness it! I'm so proud to be your mother! I-"

"I understand, mother."

She was about to hug me but then restrained herself. It might crease my clothes, and she didn't want it.

When I was younger, and new to the training academy, my results used to be so pathetic that I almost gave up. Almost. I worked hard to learn but to no avail, and ultimately I arrived at the conclusion that I was untalented. However, that was not something I could believe, even if it was true, and I started reading on how to improve my skills in general.

I realised then that reading was very important after all.

With the help of the book I discovered the art of psychological warfare, the beauty of targeting a weak human where it would hurt most effectively without letting them even realise it. It was wonderful, and just what I needed.

The most important factor was to intimidate a person, to instil fear, and honestly, I was witness to that. There was a certain way to behave to make people think I didn't mean well, and after vigorous training, that… act became a true part of me. and it was honestly what I liked. It didn't matter that nobody wanted to be my friend. In fact, that was good. Friendship would mean they'd know me, and that was the last thing I wanted.

"King…" mother said, "I- you should leave."

I nodded and then rose up from the sofa. Patting my mother on the shoulder, I left the room, entering the hallway of my house.

The weather outside was pleasant, with the blue sky and small, white clouds. The sun was shining too brightly and there was a pleasant wind blowing. People all around me were getting ready to go to the Reapings. My eyes set on the boy standing a few yards in front of me.

Rosilio irritated me beyond anything else did. Despite the fact that the Academy selected me as the chosen volunteer, he wanted to go to the arena. He had tried to throw some big words at me, but a simple glare shut his mouth. I knew the truth though. He was definitely going to try and volunteer. Not if I could help it.

I was about to smile at the thought of me volunteering when a tiny figure bumped into me. The little girl looked up and I smirked at her, my silver teeth glinting menacingly, making her gulp.

"I- I am s-sorry," she stuttered, "I-I d-didn't mean t-to-"

"Now, now," I said gently, resting my hand on her shoulder. Her eyes went wide at that, fear etched in them. "Just be careful where you are going, okay? Luck doesn't favour everyone all the time."

The girl nodded fearfully and then fled at such a speed that I never imagined she had it. She probably thought I would harm her, or that I was threatening her, but neither was the case. I was just trying to read her, and she, like the majority, thought the same. It was almost funny how so many ordinary people thought alike. One would think that there was some difference. Sadly, there wasn't. All of them were easy to frighten, all of them easy to fool, and all of them gullible.

It didn't matter.

I saw Rosilio converse with his sister. Giving him one glance, I walked past him. I had to reach the Square before him to have a better chance at volunteering.

A person like him could never steal my chance. I was destined to be a victor, and be the best among them. There was nothing that could stop me. Nothing.

* * *

 **Gretchen Golden (18) D1F**

"Sit still Gretchen, your hair isn't done!"

"Mum-"

"Wait a minute, this braid will look amazing on you."

"Mum-"

"Sit _still._ "

Sighing, I went silent and let my mother play with my hair. She was a hairstylist for the Capitol, and she always insisted on giving me the most beautiful hairstyles for the Reapings. This year though, she was doing her best, making the most intricate braid I had ever seen. It did look good on my golden locks. Then she set to work on my face, insisting that she would herself give me a makeover for such a big day of my life. I appreciated that. My parents had done a lot for me, supported me so much. They paid so much money to get me trained, and by volunteering I would be thanking them. That wasn't enough too, but it would have to do. I wanted to be a victor for them and for Garnet, my twin. They were my everything.

The black mascara brought out the blue of my blue-grey eyes and the light pink lipstick worked wonders for my full lips. Mum always told me I was very pretty, and I couldn't really deny it. But then, mum was always complimenting me.

When I had put on my pink strapless dress, mum beamed at me.

"You're looking like a princess!" she exclaimed happily.

"I am a princess," I replied with a laugh.

"Mum's right," Garnet said as he entered my room, "You do look like a princess. Goodness, my little sister is adorable."

"I'm not your little sister," I said matter-of-factly, suppressing a grin, "We're twins, Garnet."

"Yeah, but you act like a little girl."

"Only for you."

"Really?"

"Yeah," I replied with a sweet smile, "When I'll be in the arena, you can see for yourself why I'm not a little girl."

He laughed at that.

"The other tributes better watch out," he said, "My little pink princess is coming at you."

I playfully punched him on the arm. Being who he was, he made a big show of how much it hurt and exaggerated the whole crying process until I punched him again. He gave me a one arm hug, chuckling as I giggled.

"Wow…"

I turned towards the door to look at my father. His eyes, that held sight of me, had pride in them. I smiled. He had every reason to be proud and happy. He was the father of the future victor.

"You've done a good job, Agate," he said, looking my mother and then giving me a hug.

"Thank you Jasper."

Dad pulled out a small pendant and put it around my neck. It had a somewhat reddish-pink stone in it, and it went well with my dress. I simply loved it.

"Thanks dad!"

"Anything for my princess," he said.

"Well, I appreciate you all so much. I can't even tell you how much this all means to me…"

"We didn't do much," mum said, "It's your own hard work of ten years that has made you this way. Strong and powerful, and brimming with confidence. Just remember we love you."

I smiled at her and then my eyes set on the clock and my smile turned into a gasp.

"There's no time," I said impatiently, "I need to be there!"

And with that I ran out of my room, out of the villa, out onto the street that was full of people who were in a celebratory mood. They should be in celebratory mood.

"Gretchen!"

Hearing my name, I looked in the general direction of the sound, spotting two very familiar figures coming towards me.

"Ivory! Amber!"

I called out to them, waving my hand as the two jogged over to me.

"You are looking stunning!" Amber said.

"Very pretty," Ivory added softly with a gentle smile.

"That's good and all, and thank you for the compliments, but we are a little late, so we might need to run along."

"We're not _late,_ " Amber said and then shrugged, knowing what I meant to say.

The walk to the Square was a nice one. I felt so excited that I could hardly walk properly. My time to return my family's favour had come. I was going to give my best, and my best was going to be the best. There was no other way at all.

"Your finger please," the Peacekeeper said politely when we reached there. Most of the people had already arrived and I didn't like it. I should have had come early. What if someone else volunteered?

"No!"

The Peacekeeper looked at me, stunned, as I moved my finger forward.

"It wasn't meant for you," I said with a smile. He nodded and then took the blood sample. It stung a bit but nothing too much.

The next big challenge was to wait. I moved my foot restlessly. When would the escort show up?

And just when I thought that the wait would never end, a petite woman, caked in makeup wearing a very glittery dress got onto the stage. We clapped enthusiastically for the escort, who introduced herself as Kassidy. She was pretty, that was for sure.

"Hello District One!"

Everyone cheered and called out her name. It was a wild crowd, each one of us enthusiastic about it.

"Guys, the lucky girl representing District One is Esmeralda Shawn!"

"I volunteer as tribute!"

Nobody challenged me as I walked towards the stage, head held high, not when I was next to Kassidy, shaking hands with her. This was it. I was here. I was the volunteer.

"District One," I said, "This is Gretchen Golden here, your representative in the Hunger Games. I promise you that there will be a victor among you soon. Just keep faith in me. I'll be back for you."

The applause was deafening as I stepped back. Kassidy patted me on the shoulder and I smiled at the crowd. This was it, I'd done it.

"And the lucky boy is Silver Trent!"

"I volunteer as tribute!"

Two voices. At the same time. What was going on?

I saw Rosilio from the Academy run towards the stage and I saw King, the chosen volunteer walking casually. Rosilio overtook him but then King grabbed his wrist and pulled him back. The two locked eyes for a second and then Rosilio's shoulders slumped and he stepped back, letting King take his place beside me.

"Gretchen is right, citizens of One. Your victor will soon be with you, and it will be me."

I raised my brows. That was a direct challenge, I'd say.

When told to shake hands, I stuck mine out and he took it with a smirk. I smirked back, refusing to admit defeat.

This would be a wonderful experience.

* * *

 **Hi! The first reaping chapter! Okay, I had thought that I would write two districts in one chapter. I think that for every story but it never works. So again, sorry for the short chapter. My chapters are never long. :/**

 **I loved writing these two. King was slightly harder to write but I enjoyed writing both and hopefully I didn't mess them up too much.**

 **Also, the blog for the story is complete. The address is dawnoflighthg. Weebly. com.**

 **I'd appreciate your thoughts on the characters and the blog, and if you can make a blog review I'll be grateful to you. You don't need to if you are too busy, but it will be nice to know your thoughts on the characters from the blog.**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter and have a nice day.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Reapings**

 **District Three**

* * *

 **Maverick Zhao (17) D3M**

Often it was said that being different was good. It was good to be unique, good to stand out and one should be proud of oneself in all circumstances.

But what if one had to face hardships just because they looked different?

I was an… Asian. People looked at me strangely, because I appeared to be different from everyone around me. I didn't understand why people were bothered about it anyway; looks didn't matter, right? In my case they did though.

I personally felt I looked good enough. I had dark hair and dark, slanted eyes with tanned skin. I stood at a decent height of five feet ten. Of course, I didn't consider myself to be overly-handsome but I didn't see what was wrong with my appearance.

I wished other people thought that way too. I wished they didn't tease me day and night about it. It got painful after a while, and although I was used to it now, it still hurt.

There were only two Asian families left in the district; the Zhaos and the Wongs. Both of us were bullied, both of us had low self-esteem. However, there were things I did pride myself in.

Currently, I was busy fencing. It wasn't a very common thing to do in District Three. We weren't Careers either, but the way the sword, which wasn't real at all, energised me… I had to do it. I had managed to make something with the likeliness of a sword with scrap metal and wood, but it was strong. Stronger than what people gave it credit for.

The same 'sword' was in my hands right now, and I wielded it decently enough. Drenching with sweat, I ignored the severe heat and swung the weapon, hitting a sort of moving target I had made. I beamed, kind of pleased with my performance.

"Well done!"

I looked behind me to see my sister clapping slowly, a big smile on her kind face. Annie was always supportive of my idea of fencing, and she always encouraged. A fine woman of twenty-four, she sometimes acted like my guardian instead of just a sister.

"Why, thank you," I replied politely.

She grabbed my shoulders and looked at me proudly. For some time now I've been having people visit me so that they could fence against me, and I had won quite a many times. Annie was exceptionally proud of me when it came to that.

She opened her mouth to speak but then I spotted a young boy on the street, looking dejectedly everywhere.

"Wait a second," I told Annie and then walked towards the boy. He was very young, I noticed, merely seven or eight. I wondered why he was alone. Looking at him I could say he wasn't from a very poor family, or an orphan.

"Hey, what happened?" I asked gently.

Maybe it was the sword in my hand, or maybe it was the fact that a stranger was speaking to him, but he tensed and shook his head adamantly, refusing to utter a word.

"Oh," I said and tossed the sword back towards the house, where Annie caught it, shaking her head for this stupid move of mine.

"Now you can tell me?" I asked with a light smile.

"I-I don't know…"

"Maybe I can help you find it, if you've lost something that is."

"I lost three bucks that mum gave me," he answered timidly, "'I want it back at sundown,' she said, 'take care of these till then.' B-but I think I have lost them…"

I didn't hesitate at all. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out three bucks and shoved them in his hand. He looked at me with wonder and suspicion in his innocent eyes.

"Mum told me not to take things from strangers," he replied.

"Maverick Zhao," I replied, "See? You know me now. Take the money to your mum, and meanwhile I'll find your money ad if I get it, I'll keep it. so there's no need to return it."

"A-and if you don't find it?" he asked nervously.

"Then you still keep it," I replied with a smile, "I can do that much for a sweet little boy like you."

He blushed innocently at the compliment and gave me a quick hug around the middle. With a huge grin on his face, he thanked me and ran off with the money. I smiled at his retreating form. Children were so innocent, and it was always worth to see a nice smile on their face.

When I went back to Annie, however, she didn't look pleased.

"Well," she said, "That was some heroic thing."

I went red in the face as she continued, "Heroes don't have a place in this world, Mav. They are the first to be crushed. The first to be used. And the first to be discarded."

I didn't really agree. Sure, sometimes it did cost me some money or time to help people but ultimately it was worth it. It was nice to see their expressions of relief and happiness.

"I'll keep it in mind," I said and she sighed. She knew very well I wasn't going to keep it in mind.

"I don't understand how you manage to interact to people, let alone persuade them, when you are actually too shy to even open your mouth."

I blushed in embarrassment as she laughed but then I replied, "It's for me to know and for you to find out."

She clapped my back and then followed me inside. I had to change for the Reapings.

Pulling on a beige coloured T shirt and khakis, I brushed back my hair, not spending too much time on appearance. If someone was going to tease me, it would happen anyway. My clothes couldn't change that.

Munching a hastily prepared sandwich, I walked towards the Square, thinking about the Reapings. Many, many years ago my aunt had been Reaped. She had made it into the final eight and then died a really painful death, betrayed by her own District partner. He had won later on, and because of his betrayal my family wasn't trustful of many.

I still liked helping though.

I didn't want to think what would happen if I was Reaped. However, I was sure I'd make it further than my aunt did.

* * *

 **Nine Price (16) D3F**

People thought I was irritable. Sullen, even. As a matter of fact, I was irritable and sullen. And why shouldn't I be?

A fat rat decided to run over my foot at that very moment. I kicked at it hard, sending it flying away. These rats had made my life very bad. I hated them, and yet I had to share my roof with them.

"Nine, it's time for the Reapings," mum said.

"I know," I snapped, "No need to remind me!"

Mum sighed. I sighed as well. It wasn't fair that I took out my anger at her. But it wasn't fair that we had to face so many hardships. Ben and Salia were too young to be going through this, to be working. They didn't deserve it.

My boss wasn't the best person around. And I couldn't take my frustration out at him, otherwise he would throw me out of my job at the assembly lines. So it all came out on my parents and my studies. The latter was good, it helped me score truly good marks. The former though… I couldn't help it.

My mother left me alone. She always left me alone when I was like this, which was almost all the time. I stormed over to my pile of clothes and pulled out a very old looking white top and threw it on.

Running my hand through my straight short brown hair to compensate for a lack of brush. My eyes were of the same colour and I had full lips. I personally felt that if our conditions were better and I could look after my appearance, I would have been regarded as quite pretty. I was short but fit, due to harsh conditions and work.

I kicked at the pile of clothes, making them go scattering everywhere, sprawling on the floor. It was all because of them! All because of those *** living in the Capitol! Would it kill them to treat the people in the Districts like slimy little dogs?! No, I didn't deserve to live like _this._ Nobody did. What was the point of living such a miserable life?! I wasn't going to go through it all. If I studied hard maybe, I could get a decent job. But only a decent job and I would still be suppressed.

"Nine!"

I heard Ben call out. Hearing his voice, I tried to hide my anger and forced myself to smile. It would be Ben's first Reaping. I just hoped he wouldn't be Reaped. If he was… what could I do? What could I do?! I would be helpless. Utterly helpless.

"Nine!"

"Coming Benny!"

I opened the door to let in the little boy. He looked very nervous and was fidgeting with his shirt. It was old but the best he had.

"Nine, w-what will happen if I-I am-"

"Shh!" I hushed him, "I know for sure that of all the people you aren't likely to be Reaped."

"I have taken tesserae."

"So have hundreds of other people," I replied.

"But-"

"Ben," I said, "Look at Salia. If you're scared, then who will comfort her when she's scared? Listen Benny, you're not going to be Reaped, okay?"

"O-okay," he managed to utter and then hugged me tightly.

"What's wrong?" Salia asked curiously. Her large innocent eyes fixed on us with concern. She was nine and didn't know much. We had told her about the Games but not… completely.

"Nothing Sal," I said brightly and gave her a hug too.

"You'll stay with me, right? Both of you?"

"Of course Sal," I replied and Ben nodded with a smile that looked like a grimace.

There was nothing for breakfast. My siblings looked at me through hungry eyes. Mum and dad entered with a loaf of bread. The two children dug into it and I looked at my parents. This must have had cost quite a lot…

"It didn't," mum said, "Nothing at all. Have some, dear."

Reluctantly, I helped myself to some bread too. But I couldn't eat much at all. So I stood up, and waited for Ben to finish. When he was done, I grabbed his hand and led him away.

Most of the people had already turned up. Ben shut his eyes tightly as the Peacekeeper pressed the needle in his finger and I swore under my breath. It was my turn next, and it stung. Unable to control myself, I muttered some really obscene obscenities, thinking that he would not hear.

He did hear.

"What did you say?" he asked smoothly, but his voice was threatening.

"It's hot today," I replied through gritted teeth.

He didn't even say anything but I could feel him sneering at me.

"Good luck, little girl," he said in a low, menacing voice.

With a huff, I walked over to the line of sixteen-year-old girls. They were all very nervous, muttering things that just made me even more nervous. I had a very bad feeling about it…

There was this escort, she would be beautiful if she hadn't dyed herself completely in shades of pink. She walked with a spring in her step and I narrowed my eyes. Disgusting. Very, very disgusting.

There was a speech by the very anxious and frightened mayor, and it was short. I was glad it was short. The escort was clearly bored out of her mind. No formalities but she tried to do her best to smile and look enthusiastic.

"Well people from Three, let's choose your representatives. Firstly, we'll choose your female representative."

Representative. I scoffed. Why was she hesitant to use the word 'tribute'? All of it was pretence.

"Nine Price!"

I gasped. What…? What?! WHAT?! I was Reaped... HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?!

I opened my mouth to swear but I stopped. No, I wasn't going to let them have the satisfaction that they had frightened me. balling my fists, I marched towards the stage, muttering foul words and then stormed over to the escort. She tried to give me the mic but I pushed it away.

"And now the male representative. Let's hear for Maverick Zhao!"

I looked through the crowds to find a tall boy of seventeen, an Asian, rooted to the spot. He looked shocked, his mouth ajar and his body looking numb. Slowly he composed himself, and with shaky steps mounted up the stage. He didn't look scared but more as if he couldn't believe he was chosen.

"Do you want to say anything, dear?"

"Yes, yes I do," he said, taking the mic, "Guys, I know we've not had a victor in a long time. Most of our tributes don't make it very far. But give me your support and I am going to try my best to come back, to bring home a victor. I just need your support."

The crowd applauded at that gently, as if out of sympathy.

We shook hands and he smiled at me. I didn't.

I couldn't be friends with this boy; I didn't even know him. I had to return alive at all costs.

* * *

 **I know this is very late. But I've not had any time to use my computer recently, and it was only now I got the chance to write.**

 **What do you think of Maverick? Of Nine? These two really are in contrast to each other, it will be fun. Thanks to their submitters for submitting them.**

 **Do let me know your thoughts on the chapter.**

 **Have a great day!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Reapings**

 **District Two**

* * *

 **Appalachia Bryce (18) D2F**

"How many of you have completed the essay on marble and its uses in construction that I gave you two days ago?" I asked coldly.

The mass of eleven-year-old children looked at each other nervously. A few of them raised their hands, looking sort of relieved. The others were visibly trembling in their seats.

"So…" I said, standing up and walking among the columns of desks, passing the students who were very still now, "You think that writing essays and completing your homework is beneath amazing warriors like yourselves?"

"N-no ma'am," one little boy stuttered, his face flushed, his essay on his desk. "E-essays are q-quite important."

"I don't think I asked you for your opinion, Mr. Derek. You will write another essay on limestone, stating its advantages and disadvantages and show it to me tomorrow the first thing."

The little boy gulped and nodded, his face suddenly very white. He should be glad that he got away with so little.

"And the rest of you who didn't even bother to complete your assignment… you'll write the essay three times, and show me tomorrow morning. And now, I want you all imbeciles to get out of my class while I teach the few of you who did complete your work. Move out! And raise your hands over your heads and keep standing that way until I tell you to lower them!"

The children scurried off outside the classroom, standing in a line in the corridor. I heard a few of them cry afterwards due to the strain in their arms and I smirked. Pity the authorities didn't allow the use of a cane or a whip. I would have knocked some sense into those brats.

I taught the class about mudbrick and how it was used in the ancient world. Often I just peeked to see whether anyone had lowered their arms. None of them did. all of them were red in the face due to the strain. Served them right.

And hour and a half passed, but today the Reapings were going to take place. Despite being one of the best teachers around I had to attend those. It didn't matter, someone would volunteer anyway, but I could have utilised my time better.

"Sadly, you all are not to attend the Reapings. So I expect you to complete your work and read about mudbricks. I'm going to ask you questions on it tomorrow. And if you're unable to answer… well, you know what would happen."

The fear in their eyes made me happy from within. Of course they knew what would happen. They'd had too much experience.

Some would say that I was a beast to be treating such young people so badly. I didn't mind beating them, or hang them upside-down sometimes. But honestly, I didn't care. They were nasty little creatures who deserved to be treated like scum.

I was fourteen when I dropped out of the training academy to teach children. Being a young and carefree child, although abused at home, I wanted to do something for the people in the district. I wanted to teach, for my passions lay there.

It was so horrible.

Firstly, there was abuse at home. My parents didn't even care whether I worked or studied; they just cared about the tesserae I took. "Clean yourself. You should know better than to play like that." Mum often said that, especially after a good beating. It always hurt more than the physical abuse. I wondered what I had done to deserve it.

Then there were the children. I was fourteen, they were eleven. Most of them had not made into the training academy and they were angry. Or worse.

Seeing a new face, someone who was so close to them in age, gave them the idea to take out their frustration. They threw stones, needles, sometimes even non-lethal knives at me. Occasionally they hid it in my chair.

The two things made it horrible for me. The only consolation was that I had managed to save up enough to buy a sabre. When I was in the academy, I had shown, as trainers said, exceptional talent with a sabre. I, for one, enjoyed using it. But then I bought the weapon I desired. And with it my patience came to an end.

My passion for teaching had left me a long time ago. So had the loving and caring nature. I didn't cry when I murdered my parents with my sabre. Neither when I framed it all on someone who I had a grudge against. My only friend, Graphia, who had gotten me the job, had become estranged from me. That still hurt a bit but it was nothing to grieve on.

I was in the bathroom now, wanting to check my appearance once more. It was my last Reaping and I was glad of it. Staring at the mirror, I straightened my black hair and put it up in a bun like usual. I was fair unlike most people around, and had pale blue eyes. Although I was athletic, my body looked a little malnourished now. There wasn't any problem, but I just appeared that way. I was wearing a pale blue dress, which wasn't my best, but it had to do. I wasn't going to go back home just to change.

This would have to do. I still hoped I wasn't Reaped. I had taken too many tesserae and although I thought that nobody knew I had killed my parents, it could very well be that the authorities were well aware of my crime and getting me Reaped would be the best way to punish me.

I shook my head. No such thing was going to happen. I would return, and I would be free of this nonsense. Then I could check the essays at peace.

Walking out, with a slight smirk on my face, I was hoping that the students wouldn't complete their work after all.

* * *

 **Sel Raze (17) D2M**

"Sit calmly," mum said

"Mum-"

"No Sel! Our volunteer has to look presentable!"

"I spent some time to make my hair straight and flat. And you want it to become spiky again?" I said in a somewhat groaning voice.

"Spikes suit you son!"

"It's the Reapings, mum," I said, "I'd like to make my appearance more formal."

"Maybe you can put on these blue contacts-"

"Have you rented them?"

"Sel-"

"Mum," I said firmly, "My brown eyes are good enough. They even match with my brown tuxedo."

Mum laughed at that and I joined in. "There were no contacts," she said with a smile.

"I know."

And with that she gave me a hug. I was much taller than her at five feet ten and I rested my chin on her head. I felt her shoulders slump and I drew back.

"Mum…"

"Son, you know that, that nobody from the raze family-"

"I know very well mum," I replied gently as her eyes turned a bit bleak, "But don't worry. Your son will return."

"Nobody from the Raze family has ever gone far in the Games," she said in a scared voice, "They died."

"Nothing will happen to me," I replied with much more firmness.

It was true that nobody from the Raze family had ever won. We always had bad luck in the Games. But I was going to change that. And let's say the family was cursed, it still wouldn't affect me.

I was seven when my birth mother had died. We used to live in poverty and there wasn't much I remembered about her but I knew she loved me a lot. She was my only family, and a loving woman. However, she could not stand up to fate. Cancer took her away from me and I was all alone, fearing nobody would adopt me, and deep in grief.

And then the Raze couple adopted me. They were elderly and had no child of their own. They showered all their love on me after adopting me. I could never forget that. They even gave me their name and everything that they had.

I had to repay them.

Nobody in the Raze family had won the Games. That had to change now. I had to win. For mum. For dad. And for my blood-mum too.

"What are you thinking, Sel?"

"I prefer Raze, mum," I replied with a grin.

"As if I'll call my own son by his surname," mum scoffed.

I laughed. "I don't like my name, mum. Raze is much cooler," I said jokingly. She looked at me in mock annoyance.

"Is that so?" she asked.

"Of course," I replied and she slapped my arm lovingly. I took her in another embrace. Her presence warmed me from within, gave me the confidence I needed, and the determination that was hidden. She was my strength. For her, I had to return. For her and my District's glory, I had to win.

"w-what if-"

"Mum!" I said, "No what ifs! I'll return, and you also keep that apple pie ready for me when I come back as a victor."

She laughed. "Okay, okay I will keep your apple pie ready!"

"Thanks. And now, I think I should go, or I'll be late."

And with a wave I left.

The excitement was in the air. Everyone waved at me and I waved back. A few kids came up to me and wished me luck and told me they were confident about my victory. Those words mattered a lot and I thanked them.

"Athena!"

The girl with wavy red hair stopped and looked at me. Athena was the chosen female volunteer for this year. We both practiced together sometimes. She raised her hand in greeting and smiled, but it looked rather forced.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"Yeah, yeah I'm alright. Just a little nervous."

"Don't be," I said, "You'll do fine. You're the best at the Academy!"

"Thanks Raze," she said with another forced smile. There was no denying it; she was hiding something.

"You are volunteering, right?" I asked slowly.

"O-of course I am!" she said with a laugh, "If I don't then who will?"

We walked to the Square in silence, neither saying a word. I kept glancing at her in worry. Was she not well? Was she scared? She could back out of that was the case. I just hoped that her volunteering wouldn't land the District another failure. It had been a while since anybody from Two won. It had been Outers for the past two years and then for the sixty eighth Games the victor had been another Outer, whereas a guy from One had won the sixty-ninth. and the Outers weren't even trained.

In no time I was standing among my peers. I saw Athena, looking very pale. This was not good…

"Ladies and gentlemen, let's reap our female tribute first!"

I clapped politely as Hue walked towards the girls' bowl. She fumbled for a name for a while and made a good deal of taking it out and reading it.

"Appalachia Bryce!"

I waited for the usual 'I volunteer as tribute!' Most probably Hue was waiting for it too because then she said, "No volunteers? Girls, come on!"

And still nobody volunteered. I looked over at Athena, who was blushing too hard, her gaze on the ground. People around her prodded her but she didn't budge.

"Well Appalachia, please come on the stage."

The camera finally found Appalachia, a very intimidating girl who looked very stunned at the moment. There was a look of disbelief and contempt on her face, even as the Peacekeepers came to usher her towards the stage. Soon she was next to Hue, glaring at everyone, particularly Athena, who still had her gaze lowered.

"And our male tribute is Guy Mason!"

"I volunteer as tribute!" I said loudly in a clear voice.

The crowd parted to make a way for me and I started forward, keeping my head high and a smile on my face. Was mum watching it?

"Guys," I said on the mic once I reached the stage, "It's been a long time since we had a victor. It has to change now. I admit I'm not perfect, but I will win it for you. Just keep rooting for me."

The audience applauded enthusiastically just like Hue. I caught the mayor's eye; he had a look of satisfaction on his face as he stared at Appalachia, who was glaring at me. I brought my hand forward or her to shake. She didn't.

My smile faltered as I withdrew my hand. Well, this wasn't good at all. In case I died… would Appalachia be good enough to take the victor's crown for District Two?

I certainly hoped so…

* * *

 **Hello again! Here is District Two finally. What do you think of these two characters? Who did you prefer: Appalachia or Raze? Please let me know your thoughts on the chapter and the characters. Appalachia was slightly hard to write but fun too, and I hope I didn't mess up either of them.**

 **By the way, just as a friendly request, if anyone is interested in Harry Potter fandom, can you check out my story The Cycle of Time? Thanks!**

 **Also, you can check out IVolunteerAsAuthor's new SYOT Over the Edge, and maybe submit too. I'm sure he'll be glad to have submissions from lovely people like yourselves. After all, you all wrote amazing characters for me!**

 **Have a great day again!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Reapings**

 **District Four**

* * *

 **Sagittarius "Sage" Ryans (18) D4M**

"Think again, Sage," Aries said, looking at me with concern, "Volunteering isn't a compulsion-"

"I know," I said firmly. Usually I wouldn't argue much but this was different.

"We can't- we can't afford to lose you. Not after, not after her…"

I lowered my gaze slightly. Dad, uncle and Auntie had already tried to talk me out of it. My cousins too. But didn't they see that working on the docks, along with being a drudge, was just as risky? Three years ago my cousin Leo had died due to an accident on the sea. I could end up the same way, if I was lucky. Otherwise I would have to work on the docks forever, till I was capable enough to work, and that itself was a horrible idea. Unbearable even.

"I know you're thinking about Leo," Aries said.

"Of course I am," I replied, "He died due to a sea accident."

"Sea accidents don't happen every year," Aries replied, "But the Games do. And believe me, they are worse."

"Mom doesn't mind," I argued.

"Mom doesn't understand. She didn't lose a child of hers."

That was, in my opinion, very harsh. Everyone in my family loved my cousins dearly. Mom had cried so much when Leo died. How could Aries even say such things?

"Aries," I said, not wanting to argue but pressing the point nonetheless, "I know what I'm doing. I can't- I don't want to work on the docks anymore!"

"Then find a new job!"

"I don't want to do this, this mundane thing," I said, "These jobs, that don't even pay well after all the time I spend working. I could honestly do something better than, than this!"

"And the Games seem to be the only option to you?!" Aries cried, finally losing his temper, "Not mundane jobs, eh? So, you seek pleasure in murder?!"

"I don't-"

"AND WHAT DO YOU THINK?! YOU'LL GET OUT OF THERE ALIVE?! YOU WON'T, YOU WON'T! THEY WON'T LET YOU, NOT YOU! YOU WILL GO THE SAME WAY AS HER!"

I looked down again and bit my lip. I knew this was coming. It always did. Why couldn't they understand that I was a different person altogether?

Aries had, meanwhile, calmed down. He took a deep breath and said, "You're a big boy now, you can take your own decisions. However, I still recommend you think it through once more."

"I have made up my mind, brother," I replied, "And I'm doing it for all of us. For our family."

"Well then," he said, "The only advice I can give you is to not get too friendly with your District Partner. She died because of him."

"Aries," I said patiently, "Virgo died because of the mutt. Cress had nothing to do with it."

"Your uncle and aunt believe that she would have lived if she hadn't loved that boy so much, hadn't thought of her as a replacement of all her siblings."

"Well, I don't believe it," I replied, "Just because the poor girl is idea doesn't mean we can blame it all on her."

"Of course it doesn't."

"Well then Aries," I said, "I'll get ready."

"I hope you get Haley as a mentor, not Cress," Aries said quietly.

I looked at my feet. "I hope so too."

And I did. I didn't want to be mentored by the person who, who- I didn't know what. I just didn't like him. He was friends with my cousins despite their parents not liking it. And why should they? He did defeat their daughter ultimately.

I brushed back my brown hair and grinned at the mirror while Aries sighed. I was taller than him at five feet ten, and I was sure that annoyed him somewhat. It was always fun to tease him on that basis. I looked into his deep blue eyes, which were just like mine and then grinned.

"You- you are so baby-faced!" he said finally, "I can't even stay mad at you." I laughed.

"Well then Aries, see you later. Take care of the little ones while I'm gone."

"I will."

I gave him a quick hug and proceeded out of my room. I had finally convinced the last person who had opposed me. Dad had of course, not liked the idea. He had tried to talk me out of it too, but in the end he saw what I meant. He was scared, and I didn't blame him. Parents had a right to be scared for their children's lives. But now, he spent his time advising me on the Games, and useful advice they were.

I hadn't even realised that I was in the Square. After getting my finger pricked, I went to join the cue of the eighteen-year-old guys. And there he was, right next to the mayor, wearing a very fake smile. Cress was good looking, and his smile was charming, but I, for one, saw the pain in his eyes as he saw the many children present there. Well, it had been a long time since Four had a victor.

Now there was nothing for me to do but wait for the Reapings to begun.

* * *

 **Mirabel "Mira" Grant (17) D4F**

"Oh Coral, keep your tension near the waist, will you?"

The little girl's face scrunched up in concentration as she tried to do as I told her.

"Very good. Now class, let's repeat the steps. One, two, three, four!"

The girls set to dancing, trying their best, a few having strenuous expressions on their faces. Some of them lacked the flexibility required for dance, but who was I to tell them? It was a rarity to find any kind of dancing talent in the District anyway.

"Okay, not very good, but the public doesn't notice, you know. But we'll practice again. Come on!"

And with that I performed the steps first and told them to follow. In fact, I made them do the same steps for twenty minutes until one little girl asked rather foolishly, "Is that _all_ we're going to do?"

"My dear," I said in an amused voice, "I'd teach you more if you were worthy of it. first perfect these steps and then we'll see."

"But you're going into the Games," another girl argued.

"And I'll be coming back to teach you," I replied, "Don't worry about that. Now ladies, start again!"

I felt a hand on my shoulder and I smiled at its owner. Sofie grinned at me widely.

"You're taking a class today? On the Reapings?" she asked, looking up at me.

"Well, a person has to do her job, right?" I said with a smile.

"Of course, of course. But don't you think that the chosen volunteer should look… presentable?"

"What? I'm always presentable," I replied with a smirk as she laughed.

"Okay kids, you're dismissed. Keep practicing the moves we did here, okay? It will make you much more flexible and then you'll find all the dances to be easy. Hurry along now."

The children looked kind of relieved as they thanked me for the class and filed out of the room in a line.

"Insolent brats," I muttered. The moment they would be out of the building they'll start talking.

"Anyway," I said, turning to Sophie, "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

"The fact that we're best friends," she replied with a wink.

"Right. Besties for the resties. Mhm?"

"Hm."

I sat down on the chair and looked up at her. She narrowed her eyes and said the most unexpected thing she could.

"Do something about your pimples."

"Uh…"

What could I say to that? I could comment on her height, but that always upset her beyond anything. So I nodded. Of course, if it was anyone else, they would have been unconscious by now due to my kick.

"I'll work on it."

"Good. Now let's walk you home so that you can get ready."

"Come _on!_ " I exclaimed in disbelief, "I look quite good right now, just as I am."

She shook her head as if she was talking to a stupid person and then sighed. "Fine, if that's what you believe."

And before I could stop her, she had attacked my long light brown hair, and was braiding it in a way I certainly didn't want but I grudgingly decided that I did look better. I had dark eyes, and lots of freckles all over my face. And, as my friend gracefully reminded me, pimples on my forehead. I was five feet four only, but still taller than her, and that weapon was always with me if I needed to tease her. Not that I would, that was Gillian's job.

Gillian was the worst woman in the world. She had to humiliate Sofie because of her height. She had to remind me every time that I was parentless. Sometimes, I even thought she was like my dad, who ran away when he lost his job. I didn't know where he was now, and I didn't care. In fact, I wouldn't mind if he were a little dead even. I wouldn't mind if Gillian went the same way either.

"Oi!"

I looked at the doorway to see Hercules, my elder brother and legal guardian. He was the reason I was alive and surviving. Hercules had performed the duties of both a mother and a father. He was very fatherly and I was grateful to have him.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"We need to go to the Square already Mira!"

"Well, I would have set off if Sophie here hadn't decided to delay me."

"She looked hideous!" Sophie argued, "I needed to at least fix the hair!"

"And good that you did it," Hercules said, "But both of you need to be there. Come on."

The two of us followed him out. The smell of the sea filled my lungs and I inhaled deeply. The weather was good, it had to be for me. I just needed to get there fast so that nobody else could volunteer. If that happened… no! That was out of question. However, things didn't always go according to our plans or wishes. There were exceptions, and those were what annoyed me. any time, anything could go wrong. No avoiding it. it was a cruel world, with an even more cruel fate. Anything could happen.

"Hey Midget!"

And there she was, that scum. I turned around even as Sophie turned red completely.

Gillian was standing right behind us, grinning like an imp. She giggled as she saw me, and waited for a second too long to throw an insult my way. For in that moment, I kneed her in the gut, twisted her around and slammed her on the road. Her head hit the ground hard, and she started bleeding from a small injury. Sophie gasped. Gillian was sobbing and cursing and I merely shrugged, pulling my friend along with me.

"Aren't we standing too far away from the stage?" Sophie asked once we had joined the queue of other damsels. "Yes we are," I muttered and then started pushing my way forward so that I was now right in the front.

"And now, let's choose the girl, shall we?"

I rolled my eyes. What was the point of opening ceremonies and all that nonsense? Why couldn't they just send us in the arena already? Why waste time?

"Amanda Rose Coraline!"

"I volunteer as tribute!" I said almost lazily.

Nobody was surprised. The escort just smiled at me and we shook hands.

"What's your name, dear?"

"Mirabel Grant."

"How are you feeling?"

"Amazing," I replied honestly.

"And our male tribute is Travis Gemhart!"

There was a pause and then a voice rang out, "I volunteer!"

The boy looked too young. However, I knew that Ryans was eighteen, older than me, with an impish grin and yet a determination in his eyes. He had been chosen for a reason, but sadly he would be going the same way as his cousin.

"And your name, young man?"

"Sagittarius Ryans."

"No!"

I glanced at the mentors sitting a little far away. Cress stared at the boy with wide, frightened eyes. Sagittarius returned the gaze rather coldly.

Ignoring the interruption, the escort asked us to shake hands. Ryans smiled at me and I smirked. The poor boy wouldn't know what would hit him once we were in the arena.

* * *

 **Hello, hello! These are District Four tributes and with this we are done with the introduction of the Careers. Did you like these characters? What are your thoughts on them? Who do you like better? And, for my old readers, did you expect Sage to be related to the same Virgo Ryans we all loved? Please let me know your thoughts.**

 **Have a nice day!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Reapings**

 **District Ten**

* * *

 **Ryder Venison (16) D10M**

"Don't do it Ryder," Cassidy pleaded, her eyes wide and bleak. I sighed.

"It has to be done, Cass," I replied gently, "But if you don't want to, just look away."

"You're mean to them!"

"I have to," I replied, lifting the blade and weighing it. The goat was new and it was unfortunate that its life would end so soon. It had a contagious disease though, and I couldn't risk other animals to fall ill too. It was going to die soon out of illness anyway. It would be better to save the other animals than pity the beast.

With a clean motion, I beheaded it.

Cassidy screamed. Being only six, she didn't realise our situation well. She thought I was cruel to animals, and in a way I was. But sometimes it had to be done. There was no choice.

"Calm down," Melody said as she patted Cassidy's back.

"Clean the blade well," I told her as I handed it to her, "And mum sent for you after it."

I went back inside the house to get cleaned. Slaughter was a tough job. I remembered the first time I had killed an animal. It had been a cow and I had been merely ten. The cow, fourteen, was stuck in a ditch. I had called my father for help but he only gave me a clean blade and told me that everything had an expiry date. If I killed the cow, who was already dying, I would just put it out of its misery. My ten-year-old hands shook at that but I did it anyway, crying while I did it. I was very upset by the whole thing but, my dad called me a brave boy and since then I had slaughtered many animals. It never gave me any joy.

"Ryder!"

Little Artell, my toddler brother, came running up to me, his arms spread wide, a gleeful look on his face. I bent down and gave him a hug and patted his head.

"Ryder! Martha says that she has a crow in her house. She talks no-sense. Who has crow in her house?! She is a full!"

"A fool," I corrected, "Not a full."

"Wharever," he said.

"Whatever," I corrected.

"Whatever," he said, "Anyway, she says she has a crow? Who will keep a crow? You will?"

I shook my head and then he started ranting again. "Martha speaks no-sense. She is made! A fullish girl! Sorry, a foolish girl! And you know what she was saying? After this?"

I shook my head again and he said, tears brimming in his eyes, "Two people will go to die. Just like the cows! I don't believe her! How can anyone go to die?"

His eyes were shining as he looked up at me.

"Nobody will die. Yes?"

I bit my lip. He was too young to be told about the monstrosity of the Hunger Games. I was certain that none of us would be Reaped, there were many people who had taken more tesserae. I grinned with some effort.

"No," I replied, "Nobody will die. Don't worry."

He giggled and then hugged me again before scampering off to who knew where. I sighed. I didn't like lying, and I didn't like the Games. That was the definition of monstrosity. And the Capitol, it was excessive too.

I dared to hope. Hope that they wouldn't last long. How much could someone tolerate? How much pain? How much suffering? I knew there were forces working to undermine the Capitol. I didn't know who or where they were, but I hoped the best for them. Dying in the Games was simply cruel and nobody deserved a fate like that. Especially not the twelve and thirteen-year-olds. They were too young, too naïve to face something so harsh! I dared to hope that someday we would be free from it.

"Ryder," Melody's voice came in, "Get ready. Don't want to be late, do we?"

No we didn't. Unenthusiastically, I pulled out a dark hazel shirt that so matched the colour of my eyes. People said they held a calmness in them. Whether it was true or not, I didn't know. Putting on the shirt over blue, faded jeans, I brushed my dusty blond hair to one side. I was slightly tanned because of working on the ranch, and slightly muscled too.

"If you get Reaped maybe your fitness will help you," I thought. I smiled uncertainly. I wasn't going to be Reaped. Neither were Melody and Locke. If it happened to Locke it would be a very cruel joke of destiny. It was Locke's final year of Reapings.

"Ryder! Come along!"

Hopefully, I looked good enough. Reassuring myself that everything would be fine, I left my room, closing the door behind me softly.

* * *

 **Judah Pocks (16) D10F**

"God, I thank you for all you've done and I ask you to give me the strength to find him."

I crossed myself and then stood up. tomorrow, I would set out to look for him. My dad. The cult leader. I liked being with him. I liked working for him too. But this, this had to happen. My parents told me that I was brainwashed. I would know if that were the case.

My dad was the pastor in the local church. As such, few people believed in God anymore, and my family was one those who did. being half Hispanic and having to pretend that I was not, the church was a place I found relief in. My God was my everything and all I wanted was to please him. It wasn't easy though. The rules of the congregation were strict, and so was my father.

My friend, June, was a daughter of one of the elder members of the church, and she was one rebellious girl. She liked to do crazy things and ended up being in a cult. I joined in too. What I discovered there on my first day was just crazy. Heroine. Loads of it. And I could say for one it was addicting.

Having found the pleasure of addiction, I didn't want to leave the cult. I took the drug regularly. The cult leader was affectionate towards me. He treated me like his daughter and I called him 'dad'. I had left home a long time back to join the cult properly.

One day we were asked to rob a bank. Only rich people could store money in there. I didn't feel right about. I voiced my doubts and dad said, "The money will be used to help the poor children. We have to do it. it may be a wrong thin, but we're doing it for a good cause."

Since he said it, I believed it. I went gladly with the other members to loot the bank. Things went wrong from the start itself. We were caught, and somehow my parents found me. they had thought I had been kidnapped.

It came as a shock to them that I had gone willingly. Father was even more strict from then on. The only thing now that I did which I really liked was ballet. It required a certain discipline, a certain regularity, that attracted me towards it.

My parents were fine with the dancing, as long as I put my efforts into following the rules they set for me.

But… I didn't want to follow them. Not all of them anyway. It didn't mean I didn't love or believe in God. As I said, He meant everything to me. But… I wanted to be my own individual, not something my parents would dictate me to be.

Ultimately I decided that I would search for my cult leader. He could help me. I was sure he wasn't behind bars, that he was alive.

"Judah, it's time for the Reapings. Get ready," mother told me. I smiled at her and then said, "Yes mum! Just in a minute!"

With that I went back to my room. Opening my cupboard, I looked around for a good dress. there was one that came to a little above the knees and I liked it. My parents would never approve of it though. With a sigh, I put it away. Despite everything, I wanted to please everyone, especially those close to me. And although I didn't get close to many people, my parents mattered to me.

Finally, I found a long, blue, ankle length dress with frills on its sleeves. It was pretty and long so it would do.

What would happen if I was chosen? I didn't want to think about it. I didn't like thinking about things much over which I had no control. But how long would I last? Not very long, sadly. I had no skills and no confidence when it came to that. Maybe it was because I was a mixed kid, maybe because I was always required to obey. I had confidence in ballet however. I was quite good at it, and could be quite a fierce competitor.

The blue went well with my tanned complexion. I had dark hair and I looked Caucasian enough to not have anyone tease me about being mixed. At five feet five, I was of average height and I liked it that way. Neither too tall nor too short.

The Square was some distance away. Leaving early had been a good option. I prayed to God that I didn't get Reaped. Not now. I wouldn't survive a day if that happened.

The Square was crowded when I joined the other girls of sixteen. The escort, dressed skimpily, had a huge grin on her face. I resisted the urge to look away from her; she was that scantily dressed.

"Hello all!" she called out, "Welcome the Reapings of the Seventy Second Hunger Games! Today, we shall inaugurate the fine even for one more time! Now, who will represent District Ten this year? Any guesses?"

The crowd remained silent through it all. Not one person said anything. Everyone around me was fidgeting. I was nervous too, praying frantically that I wasn't called.

"Now the female tribute is… JUDAH POCKS!"

I looked up in shock, swaying slightly on my feet. Tears had started to fall before I could control them, and I was trembling hard, trying to contain the tears. People looked sympathetic but stepped away from me, realising I was Judah.

Seeing that there was no escape from this, I started towards the stage with shaky steps. The escort smiled at me but didn't offer me to speak anything, which was good. I didn't want to break down again.

"And our male tribute is… RYDER VENISON!"

There was a blond guy walking towards us with a bold step. His face was blank, although I could see that he was scared by the slight quiver of lips. He did a good job of concealing it though. I wished I had done the same.

"District Ten, the tributes this year look promising. Give a huge round of applause to Judah Pocks and Ryder Venison!"

Some people clapped reluctantly. There was not much applause, and it was all I could do to not cry again. Beside me, Ryder was looking straight ahead, not looking at the crowd, neither at me nor at the escort. It almost seemed as if he was calculating…

No, I couldn't give up. before this I could never even think of murder. God would never like it that I claimed someone's life. But it had to be done. I had to survive. I just had to.

* * *

 **How do you like these two? I will say it was very hard to write Judah, and I know I haven't done a good job with her. I hope you don't get mad at me Caleb, for doing so poor with your girl. However, it was fun writing both of them. Yes, it certainly was. Also, if I've offended anyone, I apologise for that. I really don't have much idea about religion so forgive me if I did something wrong.**

 **Do let me know your thoughts on this chapter. Who did you prefer? What are your thoughts on each of them? Also, which district do you think is next? (I, for one, have no idea.) Also, i'm sorry it was so short. Exams, you know?**

 **Have a nice day!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Reapings**

 **District Five**

* * *

 **Talon Darqet (15) D5M**

"That bug has a weird looking red spot underneath its belly."

"How did you see that?" my friend, Violet, asked in awe.

"Well, if you lie down on the ground and observe a bug overhead, it becomes quite visible."

"Ah Talon," she said with a giggle, "I'm not going to lie in the mud and stare at the bug."

"Of course you will not. Girls these days care only about their dresses."

"That's not true!" she said indignantly.

I glanced at her and gave her a wink and then resumed to watch the bug.

"One of its wings look broken."

"Maybe some other foolish guy tried to observe its belly and the area underneath it. I can never understand why boys are so stupid."

"Because they are not, my dear."

"They are," Violet said solemnly, "All the guys I've been with- idiots! They don't know anything. They always sit on the bed, and not the chair."

"I don't see what's wrong with that," I said defensively. I was prone to sitting on the bed too instead of a chair.

"A bed is meant to be slept on, idiot," she argued, "And chairs were created so that humans could sit on them."

"Okay. I'll bear that in mind. However, I think that a bed serves both the purposes quite effectively."

Violet stormed towards me in mock rage. However, sensing her motion, the bug decided to fly off. I stared at the spot it had been a while ago and sighed. Well…

"It flew away," I said.

"Sorry," Violet apologised sincerely. She was aware that observing bugs, birds, animals and their habitat was something I was passionate about. Call me weird, but there was something about being in natural places that just felt… right. Away from the polluted air, this thicket was a blessing. I came here often to observe the creatures.

"It's okay," I told her, "I had been staring at it for far too long anyway."

I stood up and realised that were muddier than usual. It was saying something. I would have to wash it vigorously later on, after the Reapings. Oh well.

The two of us started to trudge back towards the main district. District Five was not known for its natural habitats but it didn't mean it didn't have one. At the end of the district, near the fence, was something like a forest but not big or dangerous enough. The fence was built somewhere in the middle. I had crossed it once to climb a particularly tall tree, only to fall down and break my bones. I didn't say I had gone across the border but yeah. It had been fun. I still had a scar because of it on my knee. In fact, my body was covered in all types of bruises but I didn't mind. Neither did anyone else. I bore them proudly anyway.

"I hope neither of us gets Reaped," Violet said, looking down at me. Don't judge me, but I did feel uncomfortable that she was taller than me. Not because of her, the thing was that I was small. I didn't like being small. I was pale too, despite being in the sun for long hours and my big brown eyes made me look even smaller for some reason. I ran my muddy hand through my dirty blond hair, then realised that I had made it muddy too.

"You look cute now," Violet said with a straight face.

"Thanks," I muttered, before tripping over a fallen branch and falling face-down on the ground. Well, not exactly face-down, I thrust my arms forward in time to protect my face, but everything else was now covered in dirt and wet soil.

Violet giggled.

I stared at her, laughing at my ridiculous state and then burst out laughing as well. It was funny, and I could only imagine what I must be looking like.

She brought her hand forward for me to take it and help myself up. I grabbed it firmly and pulled her down with all my might so now she was doused in mud, and I was on my feet, chuckling.

"Oh goodness!" she cried, "You dirtied my dress!"

"I did alright," I replied, "And I'm going to help you up because even if you do pull me down, it won't affect my state much."

"Ugh."

Despite that little world, my pretty friend accepted my help and the two of us laughed about it like idiots.

"I'm never going to help you again," Violet said with determination.

"LOL!"

"'LOL'? Seriously?"

It felt good to be laughing. But for how long? Reapings would begin in some time. And, maybe, just maybe one of us, or both of us would have the bad luck to get Reaped. That would be horrible.

"Let's hurry up," I said darkly. I wanted to meet my dad before the Reapings properly. I didn't feel right all of a sudden. My father meant the world to me. I had to spend some good time with him before proceeding ahead.

"Okay," she said and we ran along.

* * *

 **Deena Carters (13) D5F**

I loved working. And I loved Maths.

It was one subject that was independent of every other. It needed nothing to support it, except itself. Me? I was like that. I didn't like to be disturbed when working. I just couldn't do anything in someone else's presence! And worse, when someone was trying to help me.

Just as I was about to finish my second last question for the homework, I heard the door open and heavy footsteps approach me. I tried not to let it distract me. bringing my pen down to the paper, I willed myself to write.

"She's here," I thought, knowing that mum was looking at me. I could feel it.

Slowly I wrote the equation and then cut it because I had written it wrong. I simply _couldn't_ work when someone was watching. Especially mum. She had always tried to push us beyond our limits and I always felt as if she was judging me. it made me nervous. I couldn't write the answer despite knowing it.

Taking a deep breath, I wrote down the correct equation, trying to ignore her presence. Not easy. Not easy at all.

"Deena," she said finally, "Dear, get read after finishing your homework. There's a Reaping you have to attend."

"Yes mum," I said shyly.

"Oh and dear, there will be a multiplication sign there, not a plus."

She ruffled my hair and my cheeks turned red. I made a mistake in signs! Who did that?! I muttered something about correcting it and proceeded to it immediately. Mum left the room and I read the next question. It was easy. Five minutes was all it took to get it over with. I closed my notebook gently and stood up and stretched. I would have liked to study history a bit but there was no time. At least I didn't have to go to the factory today.

I washed up with the water we had stored in drums for we lived in a shabby house that didn't have much. Feeling cleaner, I put on a modest ankle length dress, pink in colour, with frills at the end of the sleeves. It looked fine enough on me, I guess.

I was sort of tall, and narrow so it made me look taller than I actually was. My red hair fell to my shoulders and the pink dress really complimented them. I had grey-blue eyes and I wore thin wired glasses. It would have been nice if I had a better eyesight but this was also fine.

"Hey Deena!"

I was, in all honesty, shocked. Kyva was here? I didn't think she would visit me on the Reaping Day. We didn't talk much and were friends only because we were forced to. I had never been allowed to choose my friends myself. Kyva and Tommy ahd been chosen by my parents, and I had been chosen theirs. So we were all 'friends' but not in the true sense of the world.

I opened the door and saw Kyva standing there. She smiled at me.

"Come one, let's go."

I nodded and then headed out. Maybe she was afraid and thought it would be best to go with me. Just as I stepped out, my little sister and true best friend came running out to me; Jillian.

"Deena! You're going?"

"Yes Jill," I replied and stroked her hair. I could be a little more vocal around her. She was my favourite person in the world.

"Deena, be careful, alright? I hope nothing bad happens but just in case. Good luck and be brave."

"I will Jill, I will."

With that I gave her a quick hug and left the house, Kyva following behind. Jillian was only nine, but she knew about the Games well. I didn't understand the whole concept though. Sure, they could punish the districts. But _this_ way? It was inhuman and illogical. What did children do anyway? Sometimes, however, the innocent were the ones who suffered. Children in the districts were facing the same.

I was even more surprised to see Tommy outside. I was even more shy around him and we didn't speak much even though we shared homework and notes and stuff. He smiled at me and I tried to return it. feeling awkward, however, I was sure it looked like anything but a smile.

"I wish Five has another victor already," Tommy said, "Flame always manages to get at least one of the tributes in top eight and then everything goes wrong. We need to victory."

"We're not Careers," Kyva commented, "The fact that we still have two living victors is a big thing."

"I know but I also know that Flame has the capability to actually bring back a tribute! I don't know what goes wrong!"

"He'll fail," Kyva said matter-of-factly, "Flame is a drug-addict and an alcoholic. He can't focus on his work."

I remained silent the whole while. I didn't know what to say. Tommy hated Sasha Flame just like the rest of the district. He said that the Five mentor never tried hard enough because he was busy drinking and serving his wife. I doubted a man like him could be dominated. He seemed pretty dangerous on TV.

The gong for the Reapings rung and we all panicked. All of us started running towards the Square and were the last to arrive to give our blood samples.

"You're late," the Peacekeeper said, his voice full of satisfaction as if this was what he had been waiting for.

"They were with me."

I looked behind us to see the man who had spoken and my eyes widened. Sasha Flame smiled at the Peacekeeper.

"I'm sorry they are late. It's my fault, I detained them to ask something."

"Very well, Mr. Flame," the peacekeeper said grudgingly and told us to run along after taking our blood samples. I looked at Sasha as he walked past us without another glance and took his seat next to Max, our other victor.

"And now, District Five let us reap the female tribute!"

Maybe we were supposed to clap. A few of the older ones did so but most of us remained silent. Nobody saw the point of rejoicing two more deaths.

"DEENA CARTERS! Please come on the stage! DEENA CARTERS!"

What did she say? Why did the world seem to be spinning? I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out. How- what-why?! What was happening?! I felt somebody grab me and I wanted to resist. I hated physical contact. They were leading me towards the stage. No-no! not me! NOT ME! My insides screamed but why was my voice not working when I wanted it the most? Was I crying? No, no I wasn't. That was good. But, I didn't want to- I didn't want to die! Just as I thought that finally, my captor released me. I realised I was on the stage. Masses were staring at me, some with sympathy, some with relief.

"And the male tribute is TALON DARQET! Please come on the stage! TALON DARQET!"

A wide-eyed boy started towards the stage as if in a trance, as if he couldn't control himself. He was swaying on his feet but moving ahead nonetheless. He stumbled but steadied himself and resumed his dazed walk towards us. He seemed to be in too much of a shock to climb the steps and somebody helped him. Talon blinked a couple of times in confusion, fear etched on his face.

"Not a very promising batch, sadly, but I am sure we can work with something out. District Five, give it up for DEENA CARTERS AND TALON DARQET!"

* * *

 **Here is District Five! D5 was fun to write. Who did you like better? What are your thoughts on both of them? Do let me know! Thanks for reading and all the support.**

 **Have a great day!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Reapings**

 **District Twelve**

* * *

 **Erin Denver (17) D12F**

 _"And the male tribute for District Twelve is Finley Cole!"_

 _A fourteen-year-old boy walked to the stage timidly, but still trying to keep it together. He smiled weakly at the crowd as the grim-faced people stared back at him._

 _Then he was in the arena, inside a tube. His fear-stricken face was clearly visible, as were his trembling hands. Then the gong rang and it was almost like a stampede with twenty-four children running towards the cornucopia in the shape of a birthday hat. It would have been comical had so many people not died within the first ten minutes._

 _And then the third day arrived. The cruellest day. The boy from Twelve was trapped. The girl from Two smirked at him whereas the other Careers just laughed. He was in the final ten. However, before Finley could do anything, the Careers began their assault. Within a few minutes they had decapitated his body and it fell on the ground, in a pool of his own blood._

"FINLEY!"

I woke up with a scream, drenched in cold sweat. My heart was beating fast as I panted, looking at the ceiling of my dark room. I was in my bed. Safely, in my bed. I honestly wished I didn't have to relive the time. Three years had gone by and yet Finley didn't leave my memory. I still missed him. But he left me, three years ago. He fought bravely. He went far. But ultimately he died. He died just like my parents did when I was twelve. At least their death was a mining accident and not a publicised one whose sole purpose was to entertain a bunch of psychos.

Looking outside the window, I could see the first light of dawn. There was no point of trying to sleep now. I didn't feel like getting up. A few more hours of solitude would be good.

"Erin? Erin?"

Aunt Cassida's voice came through the crack between the door and the floor. Great. My screaming had awoken my aunt.

"Erin?! Are you all right?"

"Yes auntie," I replied.

"Open the door dear. I want to make sure you're okay."

I sighed. Despite having no desire to get up, I dragged myself to the door and opened it. There she was, my aunt Cassida, a widowed woman. She took me in when my parents died, and had been a mother figure to me ever since my parents died. She had no child of her own, and the two of us only had each other.

"Auntie, I am fine."

"Dear, you screamed so loudly! Are you su-?"

"Yes," I said firmly, and with a bit more aggression than was needed, "I am fine."

She looked at me worriedly, trying to read my face.

"I want to sleep for some ore time Auntie," I said nonchalantly, "You should go back to sleep too."

She opened her mouth as if to say something and then smiled at me. I nodded at her and then she walked away. I shut the door the moment her back was turned and then treaded back to my bed. Sighing, I looked out of the window again. I didn't want to be so rude to my aunt, she cared for me so deeply. But everyone I loved, everyone I cared for, had died. All except her. I didn't want to get attached to her. What if she died too? No, I couldn't think of it. I didn't want to lose her. And if, if it came to that then I didn't want to break down again. I didn't want to go through all that pain again.

Sleep wouldn't come now. Sun was rising already. Maybe a bath would be a good idea. At least there was a tap in the bathroom with constant water supply. Although it wasn't any shower, it was still fine. After shower I helped myself to some bread. It was stale but didn't taste too bad. I couldn't eat much though. After all it was the Reaping Day. The day when, three years ago, I had lost my friend.

I tied my wavy red hair into a high ponytail and then put on a red dress that came to my knees. It matched my pale complexion as well as my blueish-grey eyes. I had a heart-shaped face, a willowy figure and I was fairly tall. Had the circumstances been better, I would have looked pretty.

I sat down on my bed again. There was still time to kill before the Reapings. I wish it would begin soon, so that I could get over with it. Three years ago I would have readily volunteered for Finley if he had been a girl, or if I had been a boy. Now, there was no motivation for me to carry out with that.

I could only hope that I wasn't chosen.

* * *

 **Ashleigh Micas (18) D12M**

"Ashleigh! Ashleigh! Let's play the 'Princess Island'!"

My little sister Armite came running over to me and threw herself into my lap, staring at me with her large green eyes that were so like mine. I smiled and tickled her cheek.

"Okay," I replied, picking her up. she wrapped her tiny arms around my neck and giggled as I set her on the wooden stool that we called the 'throne'.

"What news have you brought, servant?" she said and giggled.

Making my voice as serious as I could, I replied, "The usual, Your Highness. There is a girl living with her elder brother who is acting all adorable and making her brother's heart melt and not letting him read."

My six-year-old sister put her finger to her chin and looked towards the ceiling as if contemplating something solemnly.

"This brother is good. But he should tickle his sister and not read when she wants to play with him and also tell her that he loves her eighty times."

"Eighty times?"

"Okay fine. Eight times."

I stepped towards little Armite and then started tickling her till we were both on the floor, laughing our heads off and she kept on crying, "Stop! Stop!"

"I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you."

"You have done good service, my loyal man!"

"Thank you your Highness."

The smile on Armite's face was the biggest reward of my life. She was my everything; my sister, my friend, my daughter and my life. She was two when our parents died due to a mining accident. At the time I was broken. I didn't know how I would arrange for the next meal, how I would cope and most importantly how I would look after my two-year-old sister all by myself.

However, my greatest blessing was Armite. Her live, her sweetness, her childishness- they were the reason that motivated me to live. I had raised her like my daughter. I had acquired a job in the mines recently, and it payed slightly better than before. Sometimes I wished I had more money. Maybe I could dress my princess like a real princess for once. She would like it so much.

"Your Highness, did you finish your breakfast?"

"Yes, Loyal Servant. I finished the bun!"

"Very good! Armite, will you colour the pictures from the Colouring Book I gave you yesterday?"

"Okay!"

And with that my little girl sped out of the room, singing something about fairies in a loud voice. I smiled. Armite was the only one who could make me smile any time. Usually, I didn't like opening up to people and preferred some quietness. But the little girl could make me play all the girly games and make me laugh in no time.

This was my last Reaping year. Then I would be free to look after Armite without having to worry that if I got Reaped then she would have nobody to look after her. I tied my black hair in a ponytail, for they were quite long. I was pale because I was usually in the mines, and had built some muscle due to work. I was six feet three. The tall height made it all the more fun when Armite would attach herself to my legs and look up at me with her cute green eyes. And then I would just pick her up and she would giggle and call me a monster but enjoy it nonetheless.

I put on a royal blue coloured shirt over my trousers. Hopefully, I didn't look too shabby. It was time to leave. Should I take Armite with me? Last year I did but… Yes, I should. I didn't want to leave her behind.

"We have to go the Square, honey," I said, picking her up from the other room.

"Why?" she asked, "Is it that day again? When you all just stand in a line and two people are called?"

"Yes dear, it is that day again."

The walk to the Square was full of bubbly chatter. I narrated a story to her, a story about a princess and fairies and how they gave her magic because she was so beautiful inside-out.

"I want to be that princess!" she said excitedly.

"Be a good girl always and you will be."

I had to leave her when we reached there though. Giving her a hug, I left her where other younger children were and joined the eighteen-year-old section.

"District Twelve! A very good day to you. Today, we are here to select the two lucky people who will have the honour of competing in The Hunger Games from here!"

A few people clapped. Not many, and I was sure those who did it were only doing so because they had nothing else to do.

"And now, our female tribute is: ERIN DENVER!"

The girl who stepped forward looked pretty calm, except for her eyes. Her eyes revealed the anxiety and fear she felt. Her movements were very stiff and unlike the usual desperate kids from here, she didn't look around in the hope that somebody would volunteer. It was sad to look at. I only hoped my Armite wouldn't have to face something like that.

"And our male tribute is: ASHLEIGH MICAS!"

I felt the ground part from under my feet. Suddenly the atmosphere felt too cold. I was Reaped… I was Reaped… What about Armite? Who would take her in? what would become of her?! I couldn't leave Armite behind! she wouldn't be safe anywhere near these people! No, this couldn't be happening! I couldn't be Reaped!

Slowly, I started walking towards the stage. Armite… I had to come back. I had to return. Return for her. By hook or by crook, I had to win.

"District Twelve, give it up for Erin Denver and Ashleigh Micas!"

A few people clapped but it was extremely unenthusiastic. All of them had sympathy on their faces. We shook hands, both of us keeping our faces unemotional. We couldn't show weakness. Not even in front of each other.

As of now, Armite was all that mattered. I would not hesitate in killing Erin or anyone. My princess was waiting for me.

* * *

 **Ah, shorter than before, I admit. So here is District Twelve! What do you think of these two? I honestly love them so much; they were good to write for. And 99 reviews?! Thank you all so much! Your support is invaluable and I am lucky to have readers such as yourselves.**

 **I changed the year of Finley's games because the original year clashed with Charles' games and I have already written about his games. Also, Ashleigh's POV might appear to be much longer but it actually isn't.**

 **So have a great day!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Reapings**

 **District Eight**

* * *

 **Fancy "Kitty" Viridian (15) D8F**

"Now, what did I say about what we do to people who cross us?"

"We smash them to bits!" Mirror supplied enthusiastically. Smart girl. She knew what was good for her.

"Right you are," I said and then purred, proceeding to smirk at the pathetic boy in front of me, surrounded by my weak and useless 'friends'. They honestly stayed around only because they were scared of me. which was good, because they could come in handy sometimes. Like now.

"You're mad," the boy whispered.

"Thank you."

And then the girls snatched the bag he was carrying and brought it to me. I rummaged through it, and looked at him in disgust. Seriously?

"You have books in this. Books and- ugh!"

Maybe it was my glare, or maybe because I was so important but he couldn't bring himself to say anything. He opened his mouth but closed it quickly. I threw the bag at his feet, in dust.

"Ah take it," I said lazily with a wave of my hand, "I don't need that rubbish. Get lost now before my girls take you down like a mouse."

The boy gulped and picking up his bag, fled. The girls all burst out laughing. A few of the, doubled over while I smirked. I was never going to take anything from that horrible kid but it felt nice to frighten him anyway. No, I was usually not a bully but he annoyed me so badly and sometimes we all deserve a laugh.

"Did you see his face?!" Mirror giggled.

I purred like a cat and brought the back of my hand to rub my cheek like one.

"Good one Fancy!"

I glared at Velvet. Nobody was allowed to call me Fancy. I was Kitty. A cat. Well, not exactly but since I had taken that name up they shouldn't call me anything except Kitty. Being like a cat was good for gaining attention, even if people thought I was mad. That was the main idea, in fact.

"It's Kitty, you dumb brat! You better keep that in mind if you know what's good for you."

Velvet gulped and then muttered an apology. I pretended not to have heard her.

"Ah Kitty, we'll have to go home," Mirror said, "Reapings, you know?"

"Yeah well, dismiss."

With that I sprang towards my home like the beast I was pretending to be like. Many people stopped and stared at me. I liked it. they would not forget the girl who was moving along the streets like a cat.

I craved for attention. Not that I wasn't loved; my parents could do literally anything for me. But getting attention was my _need._ I tried different things for it. Bullying kids, ordering people around, being rude- it was all for the same cause. I had rarely taken anything form someone I had bullied. I wanted people to remember me, and sadly, negative attention was easier to gain that a positive one. People were better known if they were bad and mad. Good people were barely ever heard of even.

I didn't behave like a cat earlier though. Nah, there just didn't seem to be any need. However, two years ago while watching the Seventieth Games, it occurred to me that it could be done. Charles Chevrolet had pulled the stunt so effectively that I couldn't help but admire him. For the entirety of the Games he pretended that he was a psychopath. He got a two in his Private Sessions and during Interviews all he talked about was how he killed his mother. And yet, ultimately, he demonstrated such a good show of intelligence that he won the Games. His strategy, his mentality, his approach- they impressed me. since then I resorted to be like him. After all I could be Reaped too. If I could attain victory just like he did, it would be worth it. And so I became Kitty, the Cat.

Of course, my parents were some of the richest people in the district. They owned so many factories. They could afford anything. It was their idea to have me trained for the Games so that if the worst happened, I would still have a chance.

Sure, it was illegal to train for the Games. My parents managed to arrange for equipment and the trainers anyway. I was no expert in fighting or in weapons but I wasn't bad either.

"Mum, I'm home!" I called out when I entered my house. Here, there was no need to pretend. My parents were always with me.

"Honey! Why are you so… dirty?" mum asked.

"I came here on all fours."

She laughed.

"Oh Fancy! You troublemaker! What was the need to do that?" Despite her chiding tone, there was a smile in her voice. I loved that about her.

"Well, I was living up to my… name," I replied and winked at her.

"Well then, you better get ready."

"I am ready."

"Fancy! You have to clean up at least."

"Fine."

Cleaning up didn't really take too much time. I brushed my green hair and tied them up. yeah, green hair. They were blond earlier but then I simply dyed them. I had light green eyes and a fair complexion. Despite being all cat-like I was very pretty. I put on my green cat ears and tail, for how could a cat not have a tail? Then there was a green collar with a bell and green shirt and leggings with fake fur on them. In short, I looked like a green cat that could walk on two legs. Pretty amazing, in my opinion.

It was time to leave now. I purred, purely out of habit and then left the luxurious room.

* * *

 **Justin Auben (17) D8M**

"Ah mum," I said, "I think we need to hurry up."

"I know Justin," mum replied, her face full of anxiety and fear, "I can't believe they held us back for so long! It's the Reaping today and they still-"

"I know mum, I know!"

I knew my mum couldn't run very fast. Her legs were tired, and although she wasn't old, her knees ached. She clutched at her chest, panting, gasping for air.

"Mum, just meet me at the Square. I'll go home and get there after getting ready."

"But-"

"Mum, please. We don't have time. Proceed to the Square. I'll meet you there."

My mum patted my shoulder gingerly and then started walking the other way. Seeing her retreating figure, I felt a shadow fall on my heart. Mum was my everything. My anchor. When I was born, my father walked out on us. My mum raised me alone since, working overtime in factories and doing odd jobs here and there. When I was older, I decided to assist her. So we both worked in the factories and it was still not enough.

I wanted to be rich. No, I wasn't a crazy career. I wasn't bloodthirsty. But I just wished I could actually do something for my wonderful mum. Ever since I could remember she was always nice to me. She never scolded me or even frowned when I did something stupid when I was young.

I reached home. It could barely pass for a house. More of a hut in the dirtiest of slums in this district. It had aluminium plates for a roof and the walls looked as if they would fall down at any moment. They just looked that way though. The walls were sturdier than most buildings around. The doorway was low and I had to stoop to enter it. It was bare from inside and there was just a small, old closet that had both of our clothes.

I opened it, as was routine, knowing that I would find nothing worth putting on. Still, I rummaged through it to extract a very old and ragged pair of jeans and an old T shirt that looked the cleanest of them all. Slipping them on, I ran my fingers through my brown hair to level them as best as I could. They matched my brown eyes. I would have been good looking if I could dress better. With a height of six feet, quite a bit of muscle and somewhat good features, I could be deemed handsome by some. But I didn't feel so myself.

I stepped out of the house and bumped into an old woman. She was carrying some bags which fell on the ground.

"I'm sorry," I said ad knelt down to pick up the bags.

"No, no, it's okay son! I'll manage."

"Just a second, ma'am."

Gathering all the bags, I handed them to her. She took them with a smile.

"You live here, son?"

"Yeah."

"I live right there, the third house there. Strange that I have never seen you."

"Yeah ma'am," I said, "But I've seen you around sometimes."

"Do you want to have some bread, son? You're such a good boy, you helped an old lady like myself."

"Thank you, ma'am but I can't. I have to reach the Square."

"Oh," she said with a sad face then sighed. "Good luck son. I hope you are safe this year."

"Thank you," I said and then left.

I was usually not much of a talker but then it seemed downright rude to turn down anyone. I was racing along the streets now, even as children everywhere ran towards the Square, their anxious parents fussing about them, their elder siblings following with grim faces.

I ran into a girl looking dressed in all green, and looking like a…cat? She was so weird that I came to a halt and bumped right into her.

"Ugh!" she exclaimed, "Watch where you're going you-"

Before she could complete her sentence though, I had taken off, partly because I was late and partly because I was in no mood to know what colourful word she would use. I just glanced back at her house. I wished- I wished I could get something like that for my mum. It would make her so happy. It would be such a fitting reward for all her hard work.

I gave the Peacekeeper my blood sample, and sucking at my finger, joined the queue of the seventeen-year-olds. I was one of the last, and could barely look at the stage. I was the dark hair of our mentor but I didn't know who it was. as far as I recalled, our mentor was dead. This person was either a Capitolite or another District's victor. There seemed to be a lot of murmuring about him- or her- but I didn't catch the name.

"District Eight, welcome to the reapings of the Seventy Second Games!" the escort said and then read out a long list of why we had the Games. The Games were wrong, and whatever reason they gave to have it, it was as wrong as the event itself.

"Our female tribute is… FANCY VIRIDIAN!"

I looked around for the girl, and saw her. It was the same cat girl who I had seen earlier. She was licking her hands and then slyly slid away, saying "Meow" in such an excellent imitation of a cat that I thought that the actual beast was around. The Peacekeepers weren't fooled though. They caught her and brought her to the stage where she purred.

"Not Fancy. Mew! It's KITTY. I'm a cat! MEW!"

Wow…

"And the male tribute is," the escort said as if she hadn't heard a word what Fancy- or Kitty- said, "JUSTIN AUBEN!"

That was unexpected. I felt a cold settle down my spine. How could I be Reaped? This couldn't be happening! Not me! What about my mum?! Sadness was replaced by rage as I glared at the escort. I stormed towards the stage and glared at her. She took a step back and continued.

"Give it up for your tributes District Eight!"

I looked at the mentor and saw him. Charles Chevrolet. Fancy was staring at him too, her eyes slightly wide, as he weighed our chances with a calculated look. His eyes swept over Fancy and then settled over me and I could see him shake his head slightly.

Great. Our mentor already felt no hope for us. It didn't matter at all though. He would have to help me when I would ask for it. and I would prove it that I was worthy enough to be helped.

* * *

 **District Eight is here! Both these tributes were hard to write and so I apologise if I messed up. What are your thoughts on them? An early update for once XD Anyway, do you think any of these two is Victor material? Will Charles manage to bring back another victor?**

 **And- 106 reviews?! Thank you all so much! I am blessed to have such wonderful readers like yourselves. Seriously. I hope you keep on reading and giving me your feedback. And don't forget to enjoy!**

 **Have a great day!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Reapings**

 **District Six**

* * *

 **Roslin Chevalier (16)** D6M

We walked towards the square, our legs as heavy as lead. How hard it was to drag oneself towards one's doom! How cruel destiny was! I was the one who did it, and Raylic had to suffer too. Not that he complained. No, he never complained. He was always so positive about everything, so...human. And why? There was nothing good in this world. The people were scum bags. They didn't deserve kindness.

"Roslin, we'll manage, right?" Raylic asked nervously.

"Even if we can't, we have no choice. Not after what I did."

He sighed and then continued in his soft, calm voice, "You need to keep your anger under control Roslin. You must-"

"Oh just shut up! There was no choice, okay?! You may be okay with people calling you a freak but I am not okay with it. I'm not okay with the fact that horrible man tried to experiment on us!"

Raylic lowered his gaze. Both of uremembered too well how it happened, what all led to this horrible day. We always had so many arguments about it, and I knew I was right to do it.

We were born conjoined. We shared the same body and were different only because we had two different heads, two brains and two hearts. Conjoined twins were not heard of in the district. When we were born, our mother took one look at us and threw us out. Nobody wanted freaks. Nobody wanted to be anywhere near freaks of nature.

A manager from an orphanage took us in. Her name was Evelyn Harkirsh and she was one person who was truly kind to us no matter what. For some reason she never gave us away to the Capitol for testing. We were brought up away from normal children. We never played with them for the fear of being bullied. Raylic tried though. He had always been more of an extravert. But what did that get him? We were bullied anyway.

When we were older we started taking walks in the compound of the orphanage. Sometimes we took a stroll in the nearby streets. Two foolish boys we were. We wanted to know what real world was like. Raylic even believed that there might be people who would accept us, become friends with us despite our condition. I always told him it wasn't possible. He never listened.

I never realised how hard it was for him. All the teasing and bullying got to him, and he cut his own throat. I couldn't forget the feeling. Ever. It was his neck but life was slowly slipping out of both of us. We were taken to the hospital in complete secrecy. My only good luck till date? Raylic survived, which meant I did too. I was still in shock to see that my strong brother, who always tried to see good in others, had taken such a drastic step.

The joy of feeling alive lasted for a very short time. A peacekeeper had gotten our custody. And, no surprises there, he wanted to hand us over to the Capitol for testing. There was no way I was going to let that happen. I couldn't put myself or my brother in such a danger. We decided to talk to him, to request him to not hand us over. However, I already knew what he was going to say.

The discussion rose to a heated argument, which turned into a dangerous fight, and he hit Raylic hard. At once I lost all control, and killed the man right there. Nobody, nobody could touch my brother while I was alive. Raylic was shocked and traumatised at the sight of murder. He screamed and cried and yelled at me but I didn't care. The man deserved it. He deserved much worse. I wouldn't mind killing hundred such people who would think about selling us for experiments.

Things didn't go well. Peacekeepers found out soon enough. They decided that the best punishment for us would be to volunteer. Why? We would die AND people could see for themselves that freaks of nature existed. It would be a fitting punishment for abnormal people like us, who were a threat to normalcy.

"Roslin, we're here." Raylic's voice sounded so crushed, so defeated... I understood why though. It was unlikely that we would return. There was just no chance. It was a miracle we had survived so long anyway.

"Yeah."

"Are we looking presentable enough?"

"Are you serious?!"

How could he think about looks at such a time?! He smiled at me, his face so like mine. We had the same reddish hair, the same brown eyes, the same pale skin and the same height of five feet eleven. My face was slightly angular and I had slightly arced eyebrows. Plus I had a few freckles, which he didn't but that was about the only difference.

"Yeah I am serious. We're going to represent this district."

I rolled my eyes at him and continued walking, not bothering to answer him. He was always like that. Even now, when we were most probably going to die, he was thinking about this stupid district.

"Come, let's get in the queue."

* * *

 **Illea Calhage (16) D6F**

"Illea you can do it!"

"I will," I replied with a goofy grin. The task was simple. I just had to go and get an apple. From the shop. Outside which was a dog. Easy!

I walked into the shop, acting normal, while Violet and my other friends stayed outside, trying to act as if they were not trying to stare into the shop and see if I could do it. I walked along the aisles of fruits until I came upon juicy, red, beautiful apples. I just had to pick one and walk out. No big deal.

As such I wasn't a thief, and intended to pay for the apple. Just not before my dare was done though. Just not then. I picked up an apple and pocketed it, looking around to see if anyone had caught me in the act. It seemed as if nobody had and so I proceeded towards the door casually, looking at each item and shaking my head, as if none of the things there were good enough for me to buy. I had an urge to giggle at what I was doing but I controlled myself. My legs were shaking although I didn't want them to. I was stealing. Stealing. No, I would pay him later. I wasn't stealing.

Then I was reminded of one Cara Taxer. She had stolen a banana once but she was caught. She was whipped after that. The mere thought of it made my throat dry. Nah, I couldn't worry now. I had a dare to complete.

At that merry thought, I bumped into the shopkeeper. He was a huge man, with a lot of facial hair and intimidating eyes. I grinned sheepishly.

"Nice weather, right?"

The man simply glared at me and I shrugged. It looked more as if I was protesting against being arrested.

"I'll, uh, buy grocery a little later." With a grin at him, I dashed out of the shop. The dog barked at me but I jumped over it to where the other kids were. Fortunately for me, the dog was chained. Otherwise... Well, I would have been made into Illea Mince.

"I got the apple!" I said, punching the air, "I won the dare!"

"Yeah!" Violet cheered and clapped me on the back, "That was a good one!"

At that moment the shopkeeper emerged out of the shop and pointed his finger at me. I raced over to him, avoiding the dog, and paid him for the fruit. Before he could open his mouth, we took off, laughing.

"Think about tightening the security a bit!" I cried as we ran away from there.

Thrills were my life. Adventure was everything to me. I had grown up in a pretty normal family. Both my parents were factory workers and I was an only child. Ever since I was a child I had loved adventures. However what I did today was the most dangerous of them all. I could have been punished but I was lucky. This adventure gave me a different kind of a thrill. Something I had never had.

"We should all go home now. We have the reapings today," Jasmine said.

"You are right," I said, "Well then guys see you later."

"See you on time," Violet said with a smirk.

I grinned at her and ran towards home. I had a knack of being late to Reapings. I was used to being late anywhere actually.

My parents were still at work. That was sad but hopefully they would reach the Square on time. Entering my room I set to work on my auburn hair that were just too wavy. I tied them in a high ponytail. My eyes were brown and big and there were freckles on my nose and cheeks. As a child I didn't like them but then my mum told me that a face within freckles was like a sky without stars. That stuck and now I loved them. I pulled on a red dress that was flowery and matched my pale complexion. In no time I was ready.

Or so I thought.

Only ten minutes were left to the Reapings.

"NO!" I cried and then started towards the Square, running as fast as my legs could carry me. I couldn't be late again! Fortunately, I didn't lose my way, unlike last year. Now that had been embarrassing.

"...and the female tribute for this year is Illea Calhage!"

Wait. What? My jaw dropped. How could this even happen?! Me...reaped? No there had to be some mistake. I couldn't be Reaped!

"Please come on the stage dear," the escort said. Slowly, I started towards the stage. _Think if this as another adventure. Everything will be okay._ But I had never been in a life and death situation before! How would I win?!

"And the male tribute is Merz Wheel!"

"I volunteer as tribute!"

I stared at the crowd. Who the hell was mad enough to volunteer? ! However when I saw the tribute i was even more shocked, if that was possible.

The boy had two faces. Like he had literally two heads. One was angry, the other scared. The escort looked jusr as taken aback but he kept himself calm and smiled at the boy (s...? ).

"A volunteer! In fact, there are two volunteers. May I have your names?"

"I am Raylic Chevalier and he's Roslin."

"Beautiful names. And now district Six, give it up for Illea Calhage, Roslin Chevalier and Raylic Chevalier!"

Everyone was staring at the boys. Raylic tried for a smile but Roslin kept his face blank. I turned my gaze towards Anya Ford, our mentor. She smiled at us sadly but her eyes were trying to get an impression of how long we would last. And she didn't look happy at all to see the boys. Hopefully, she would be able to come up with something.

Because if she didn't, we were all doomed.

* * *

 **I am sorry this is short and bad. I didn't have my computer and so I typed on my phone. Although it didn't take much time it was still tiring. So there might be a million mistakes in this and I aplogise for those. I would have read it again but it was just my luck that I had to type Illea's section twice.**

 **Do let me know your thoughts on these tributes. Next time we have a POV from the twins it will be Raylic's. Again, I would have written for him but my fingers are aching.**

 **Have a good day!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Reapings**

 **District Eleven**

* * *

 **Lennon Pareski (12) D11M**

"Genesis, we have to go to the fields!" I called out to my sister.

"No idiot. It's the Reaping day. We don't have work today," she replied in that exasperated tone of hers which she used when I annoyed her. I scowled. I did nothing to annoy her this time.

"There was no need to call me an idiot," I retorted.

"What should I call an idiot if not an idiot?"

"I'm not an idiot. You are, big sister."

She rolled her eyes at me and then I mimicked her. Then I jumped over to her and yanked her book out of her hands.

"Hey!" she protested.

"No studying on holiday!" I exclaimed. She shot forward for the book but I dodged her. She rearranged her features to look as if she had never been more annoyed and drew her arms across her chest.

"Well," she said, "Give it here Lennon. I have to study that chapter. There's a test in two days."

I pouted. "Oh come on!" I said, waving my hand in exaggeration, "It can't be that hard."

"..."

"Get it if it's that important," I said gleefully and then took off. Genesis made no attempt to follow me as I ran around the shabby room. She just glared her big-sister glare but I saw her mouth twitch.

"You are annoying," she said as if she had waited all her life to make this statement. I laughed. It always happened this way. The reason I annoyed her was to, well, annoy her. She always got that amazing expression on her face.

"Give me the book and go get ready," she said, and then a sadness fell on her face. My smile was gone too. It wasn't good. In all this fun, in the want of forgetting about my troubles, I had forgotten them. But what could I do?!

This year would be my first Reapings and in all honesty I was terrified. I wasn't ashamed to admit it. Both Genesis and I had taken tessarae and I didn't like the fact that my name was in there five times. I didn't know what to expect. What if I was chosen? There was a big possibility of that, which I certainly didn't like. I didn't want to die, I was too young. Because if I was Reaped, nobody could save me from certain death.

The book dropped from my hands and knelt down on the ground. Genesis put her arm round my shoulder and I leant back into her. She stroked my hair gently, and the touch made me feel better. As if things could be alright. As if I might not get Reaped.

"What if, what if I'm -"

"Stop there Lennon," she said as she pulled me closer to her chest, "You won't be Reaped. And in an unlikely event that you do, just annoy the life out of your enemies. You can do that pretty well."

I punched her on the arm with a grin. Usually I didn't like it when somebody said bad things about me but I knew that Genesis was only trying to make me comfortable. trying to ease my nerves, to lessen my fear. The very fact that she cared so much made me feel better.

"Now now, get ready champ," she said and helped me stand up. I grinned at her and then trudged to the attached room. It was small and dusty. The walls sometimes had a dampness when the rains approached but they were dry now.

There was not much I owned. I only had a pair of clothes that I could wear to a function or such. I slipped on a red shirt and black shorts. I ran my fingers through my curly black hair. There were a few knots in there but I sorted them out. I had medium brown skin and brown eyes. And I was tall. Very tall. For some reason I was growing very fast now, but only vertically. There seemed to be no lateral enlargement in my size.

Putting on the black slippers, I walked out of the house. The weather was pretty nice. I just hoped my day would be as good as the weather.

* * *

 **Winifred "Winnie" Chintz (17) D11F**

"Go Winnie, beat him!"

Burton's cheers landed on my ears, energising me instantly. I grabbed the guy in front of me by the hip and twisted him around, even as he tried to kick me. His feet made contact with my lower abdomen, causing an instantaneous pain. I grunted but I wasn't going to let him have the satisfaction of knowing he caused me pain.

I tackled him to the ground and pressed my knee against his chest. However, soon I was the one on the ground and he was on top of me. I pushed him back and jumped up, swivelling in the air and kicked him on the jaw from an angle he hadn't expected. Then as he tried to get up I twisted my arms around his neck so that he was choking. Usually one would use one's hands to choke the other person , but thanks to Burton I knew that twisting one's arms around somebody's neck gave them a greater disadvantage. The guy banged his hand on the ground, admitting defeat. I released him.

"And the winner is Winifred Chintz!" The referee said with a mild amusement, mild exasperation. I smirked at him as Burton gave me a clap on the back.

The guy I had just beaten glared at me with such an intense loathing that it was almost funny. "I can't lose to a girl!" I raised my brows at him and before he knew he was on his back again, down in the dust.

"Admit it idiot. You lost to me."

"Exactly," Burton said sourly, "she won fair and square."

"And so she gets the money."

And with that the referee handed me the bucks. I pocketed it with a stiff nod and then walked past him, Burton following me.

"You did those moves pretty well. Nobody stands a chance in front of you."

"All because of you Burton," I said with a smile. It was true. Burton had been fighting on the streets for money since long. I was lucky to have such a good friend. We both lived on the streets because we were not rich enough to buy or even rent a house. Dad worked in a factory that sorted our district's produce. Mum used to work too but she had an accident when I was still young. Since then she couldn't walk. She got a job in a cheap apothecary and healed people if they brought herbs and medicines as payment. She had taught me a lot about healing and plant identification.

Burton had grown up in the streets and lived alone. However, we often kept each other company as we didn't have any specific place to go to. He earned money by fighting on the streets. One day I saw him fighting. I was honestly so impressed. Plus , I was tired of not providing for my family. So I convinced him to teach me how to fight. It took a lot of effort though because Burton didn't want to teach me anything. However it worked out in the end.

"Winnie," he said.

"Yeah?"

"Are you sure about this? I mean it's a dangerous thing to do and its- it's not like street fighting. You can... die."

He spoke the word so softly I thought I misheard him. I stopped in my tracks and turned towards him with a sigh.

"I have to, Burton," I said, "There's just no choice."

"There's always a choice, Winnie."

"Not in this case," I replied curtly.

Why was he worried? I knew I could hold my own in the arena. Yes, I was going to volunteer. Pretty stupid and risky, right? But when you grew up on the streets, never having enough to eat and feeling that life is a waste... you wouldn't wonder why I wanted to volunteer. I just wanted to give my parents a decent house. I wanted to be rich, I wanted to get my mum treated so that she could walk again. It was not a crime to want to help your parents. And your friend too, for how could I leave Burton? Sure, I wasn't as strong as the Careers. Not as trained either. But I had the determination and a strong reason to return. And even if I died, I would have the satisfaction of at least trying.

"How am I looking?"

"Pretty," Burton replied with a smile.

I was much paler than most other people in the district and I had reddish brown hair. The brown eyes were the only thing I had in common with the majority of the people here. No, not the only thing. I was extremely thin too, just like so many in the district. However, I was muscular and that was one good thing.

I didn't want to volunteer in my old clothes that were covered in dirt but I had nothing to change into. Burton would have looked absolutely weird if he would turn up at the reapings in what he was wearing but the lucky guy was, well, lucky. He was nineteen. He couldn't be Reaped.

Once in the Square, I waited in the queue for the mayor's speech to get over. It was long and boring and I didn't see the point if having it. But we waited and once it was over we applauded out of courtesy.

"So our female tribute for this year is: CHERRY ALINE FENCER!"

What a name! I saw Cherry Fencer moving towards the stage and then raised my hand.

"I volunteer as tribute!"

There were gasps of shock. People started shrinking away from me, not that it mattered to me. With calm and bold steps I mounted the stage. The escort wrinkled her nose at the sight of me. I simply smirked at her, challenging her with my eyes to say something. she cleared her throat and asked me my name.

"Winifred Chintz," I replied, "And I am going to be your victor this year."

The escort rolled her eyes slightly and then smiled her extremely fake smile before calling out the boy's name.

"LENNON PARESKI!"

I felt extremely sad when I saw that the boy was only twelve. I didn't want to hurt someone that young. He had clenched his fists and was trying to look strong for the cameras. However, his legs were shaking. His eyes were bleak and I saw a single tear trickle down his cheek. Lennon stumbled on the steps but didn't say anything. Quietly, he stood beside me.

The escort didn't like him much either. She just shrugged coldly.

"GIVE IT UP FOR YOUR TRIBUTES: WINIFRED CHINTZ AND LENNON PARESKI!"

* * *

 **Another mobile typed chapter! XD I am getting a hang of these, although my hands are aching too much. So, what do you think of these two tributes? Who stood out more to you? These were so different from each other, it was fun to write them. It has been enjoyable to write all the characters till now, of course. So please let me know your thoughts.**

 **Have a great day!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Reapings**

 **District Nine**

* * *

 **Clarke Aldridge (18) D9F**

I hated this place I had to call home. There was nothing homely about it at all. A small place that could collapse any time with people who didn't care about me. My dad was sprawled on the floor, hiccupping whereas my mum just sat in a corner, looking at something that wasn't there. They were not married, and she turned up now and then. Sometimes she broke up and stormed off and sometimes she just barged in again. Both of them were morphling addicts and dad spent his entire day drinking. Once he also used to work and lead a life of dignity but I never really got to see that side of him.

They were negligent. Fortunately they weren't abusive but ultimately it wasn't that big a consolation. I had to fen for myself anyway. Despite wanting to go to school, I couldn't. It hurt, wanting something and not getting it. It hurt more than anything else.

Dad hiccupped again and I had had enough. I grabbed the bottle of alcohol near him and threw it away. All its contents started to spread on the ground.

"Hey!" he protested angrily but he didn't have any control over his body to stand up and retrieve it. Mum glanced our way for a second and then went back to staring at space.

"Maybe if you two stop drinking and using those drugs, you'll not be so pathetic," I said and then stormed off, leaving my two very confused parents behind.

I was tired of living with them. Tired of taking care of two adults when it should have been the other way round. I was tired of their addiction and their constant bickering. I always had to fight my own fights, which was good in a way because now I was quite strong. But I wished they were there for me at least sometimes, if not always. There were so many things I wanted to do in life.

I had to do them.

I had to fight to succeed.

I was ready to go to any extent.

I passed a group of girls who pointed at me, their mouths open, few of them trying to stifle fresh laughter.

"That's our fighter lady!"

"The one who's going to beat them all!"

"And guess what? She won't even use morphling for that!"

"Yoo-hoo, pretty girl! Ready to take on the challenge?"

I ignored them. I was pretty good at ignoring people when they teased me. Teasing, name-calling, insulting… that was all for the weak. I wasn't going to let myself get affected by it.

They were calling me names because- surprise- I was planning on volunteering. I knew it was a very risky step but honestly I could do anything to escape my situation. Recently, the number of outer district volunteers had increased. They were still uncommon but not as much as it had been a couple of decades ago. People realised it was important that they have money, and children were desperate.

My case was different than that at least. Ever since I was a child I had watched the Games. I saw how tributes killed each other and I studied the Careers the best. Those were usually volunteers who entered the Games for a good reason. They had dedicated their entire time to training, and usually they won. They had many more victors than the Outers anyway.

I knew that the Games were cruel but it was a way for me to escape. For me to become something. I knew I had potential, I was talented but I couldn't do anything just because I didn't have the opportunity.

Having nothing to do at the moment, I decided that it would be best to just proceed to the Square. I wasn't looking very good but it would have to do. I was lean with quite good muscles due to training in the underbelly of the criminal hub. My hair was the darkest shade and fell to my waist in a straight line. They were straight no matter what I did. I was certain the stylist would cut it down anyway. I had eyes of the same colour. I was good looking. Not overly beautiful or anything but I was pretty.

There were a couple of boys who called out to me, yelling about how I would certainly bring them victory and how the big bad boys from the Career Districts stood no chance against me. I turned towards them and flashed a smile in their direction. The two looked at each other in confusion and I walked away, shaking my head.

They would see it for themselves when I would return home victorious.

* * *

 **Durain Haefelle (18) D9M**

The guy was running forward like a tornado. It was almost funny the way his body was moving. Grinning to myself, I thrust my leg forward just as he came close. He stumbled and tripped, landing on his face in the dirt.

"Oh goodness I'm sorry," I said as I helped him up, trying hard not to laugh, "I just stepped back when I saw you running but you tripped over my leg. I'm sorry again."

"No it's okay," he said, dusting his shirt with his hands, "I just have to get home soon."

And with that he took off again. I smirked at his retreating form. Ha! He fell for it! and now he was going home. Home…

The smirk was gone, replaced by a deep frown. He was so lucky to have a home he wanted to return to. He didn't seem rich to me but he still didn't look abused.

I wanted to settle down and lead a normal life. But my family life prevented me from doing so. Although I tried my best not to take in any qualities from my parents, they were a bad influence. I was a troublemaker in the area and only because of them. I wanted their attention. I wanted their love. All my life I had been denied of these basic things I needed and craved.

But I had to get changed for the Reapings and so I would have to go home. Steeling my heart, clenching my fists, I walked towards the small hut like thing that was 'home'. It didn't feel like home.

My parents were young when they had me. Their families didn't take it very well and no support was given to them because of what they did. However, unable to do anything else about the situation, they began taking out their frustration on me. They had been doing that since, let's see, eighteen years. Quite a long amount of time in my opinion. Full sleeve shirts and trousers could cover scars and bruises for so long. I was tired of hiding all the marks of abuse on my body. But I had to because if I told anyone they would skin me alive.

Slowly, I dragged myself forward, my feet protesting angrily, knowing that where I was going was not safe. I didn't hate my parents. I just wished they would love me. What did I do to deserve this abuse? It was not my fault that I had taken birth. But I still had to face it.

I entered the low building and started going towards my room (which was really far from a real room) when a hand grabbed my wrist and pulled me back.

I gulped as I saw dad glare at me with an intense loathing. Mum was behind him, rolling her eyes.

"And here comes the most useless member of our house," she said, "Honestly Durain, why didn't you just die when you were born? Don't you feel any shame at your uselessness and the rotten luck you've brought us?"

Dad remained silent as he glared at me. The next moment I was on the floor though. He ripped open my shirt so I was bare chest and then pulled out his old leather belt.

"No dad, please!" I pleaded, my voice cracking, knowing what was coming up. I couldn't afford a beating just before the Reapings. But I knew it was in vain the moment the belt made contact with my bare skin.

I bit back a scream and recoiled when he brought the belt down. He hit me everywhere except my face since the wounds would be most visible there. I didn't know how many times he hit but ultimately I couldn't take it anymore. I was crying and screaming now, pleading with him to stop but he didn't. He didn't till every part of my chest and back were covered with angry red welts. Mum just watched from behind, her eyes cold even as I curled up on the spot, trying to lessen the pain. It didn't work though. Nothing did.

Tired of wielding the belt, dad tossed it aside and kicked me in the stomach. I rolled over and lay on the floor, barely able to breathe. There seemed to be a darkness in front of my eyes and I heard him spit on the floor in disgust.

"You worthless piece of junk, why the hell were you even born?! Our troubles would have been much fewer if you had died right at birth!"

"Tanya," dad said, "Get a bucket of water."

Just as I closed my eyes, thinking I would pass out from the pain, chilled water hit me in the face. Some of it made contact with my body and all my wounds stung. I shut my eyes in pain. This was too much to take and yet it was routine.

"Go get ready," dad said and then pulled me to my feet before shoving me towards my room, where I fell on the floor.

Not a drop of blood dripped from my being. Dad made sure of that. Whenever he beat me, he would take care that there was no blood. Blood was messy. I dragged myself to the bathroom and started cleaning myself, yelling out in pain when the water hit my wounds.

Allowing myself a few minutes of complete silence and rest, I stood up and put on a light blue shirt, the best one I had. It stung too but there was nothing I could do about it. I tried to make my dreadlocks a little cleaner. I had dark eyes and light brown skin, just like dad. I was think and weak-looking because I never had enough to eat. In short, whatever I would wear, I'd look poor and weak. I didn't like it much.

Before anyone could stop me, I raced outside the house and then stopped to catch my breath. My body hurt from running after being beaten but there was no choice. Slowly, I dragged myself towards the Square. Every step felt like a mile. Every minute I felt as if I would fall down. So when I was finally there, it felt as if I had achieved something big.

I was a little late but not much. thankfully I avoided punishment there. I would have died for sure if the Peacekeepers had decided to beat me too.

"…the female tribute is Ceres Hale!"

"I volunteer as tribute!"

The voice was strong, and the girl who was walking towards the strange was strong too. literally. She was very muscular and strength seemed to radiate from her. She looked confident, even as I heard a few boys boo at her.

"A volunteer! That's amazing! What's your name, dear?"

"Clarke Aldridge," she replied calmly, even as the booing grew louder.

I waited for the escort to read out the guy's name. Who would it be?

"Durain Haefelle!"

What. The. Hell. I was Reaped. I was Reaped. I didn't even know whether to be happy or sad. I could die in a couple of weeks but-but- I was going to get away from the abuse. Away from my parents. The very thought calmed me considerably. No more of being called worthless and a curse. No more beatings. No more pleading.

The escort looked just as surprised as the crowd when he saw me smiling calmly. He offered me the mic but I shook my head. I was going to try my best to come back. To come back and live respectfully. Independently. Like a normal person.

"An here are your tributes! Clarke Aldridge and Durain Haefelle!"

* * *

 **Only one remains now. Yes! What do you think of Clarke? And Durain? Now I know some of you must be thinking, 'But Reader, Clarke's backstory is similar to a certain other character's story.' So my only justification is: Clarke was submitted as a Career. I changed her district. That's it. so I hope you can overlook that bit. She has a great personality, and I explored only a little bit of it in this chapter. In fact, both these tributes were amazing.**

 **And now, I am going to request you to submit to Sally the Lioness' SYOT 'We Remember- 125th Games'. Her writing style is pretty much like mine, so if you enjoy my writing, you will enjoy hers. Also, she has mentioned that I am co-writing it with her. Which is not completely true. I'm only helping her. ;) Anyway, so if you do submit to her, please send the submission to her and not to me because I will definitely confuse those forms with the forms I have received for this story. Please submit. :)**

 **Let me know your thoughts. And enjoy.**

 **Have a great day!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Reapings**

 **District Seven**

* * *

 **Nikona Linwood (17) D7M**

"We're all going to die. Both you and I. I don't know when you will die but I know I'll be Reaped one of these days and that will be the end."

My friend Elm shook his head just like he always did when I said that.

"Nikona, you're being paranoid. You won't be Reaped, and you won't die in the Games."

"No Elm. It's destiny. Nobody can fight fate itself. Nobody is strong enough."

"Nothing will happen," he said gently, placing his hand on my shoulder. I sighed. "Believe it or not, we're all going to die."

It was always like this. Nobody tried to understand what the problem was. The problem was that death was inevitable and my family was cursed. There was nothing we could do about it. Nobody had the power to change fate. Now, the Capitol was ruling us. It was in the destiny of the District citizens to be treated like slaves. There was nothing to be done.

Well," Elm said, "This Ttime won't be the time for your death. Don't worry. Now hurry home and get ready."

"Yeah. I should look presentable for when I will be Reaped."

Elm didn't even bother to argue. He must see the truth that was staring at us in the face. He wished me luck and then set off towards his home. I lowered my gaze and started for mine.

When I was eight my brother got Reaped and died. It was a big blow to our family, and nobody could really recover. Things were starting to get better when my sister got Reaped. Just like my brother, she met her end in a gory way. It was too much for my parents. They had gone into a shock from losing two of their children to the Games, and I never had the heart to tell them that I believed that we were cursed. That soon I would be in the Games too, just like my siblings.

But I knew it. It was quite rare that children from the same family were Reaped but it was going to happen. I was positive about it. I only wondered if anyone would miss me. Would Elm cry at my death? Would my parents have the strength to cope with it?

Upon reaching home, my mother pulled me into a hug. She wasn't a very responsible parent, but she was trying. I patted her shoulder and then she released me.

"There you are!" she said with a smile, "Go get ready, son. You have to go to the - the-"

My mother could not continue. Her eyes turned bleak and she stopped speaking, trying to control the tears that were about to fall. But she didn't understand. Humans had no control over anything. If it was pre decided she would cry, she would cry no matter how hard she tried not to.

Not that it made it any less painful.

"Mother, don't cry," I said nonchalantly. I knew she wouldn't stop.

She didn't.

"I'm sorry I'm never able to do much for you, Nick," she said over hiccups.

"You did enough mother, honestly," I said.

"Stay safe Nick, I can't afford to lose you too."

I nodded. Why didn't she understand that I was destined to be Reaped and murdered? I wasn't going to tell her that though. When the right time would come, she would know herself.

"Anyway, son, I found a hatchet in your room? What was it doing there?"

Oh no.

"Just like that, mother. Living here, I should know how to use it, right?"

"Are you sure?"

"Very."

I wasn't going to tell her that I had been trying to learn how to use it as a weapon. What would I say? "Mother, I'm going to be reaped too so I am just preparing to play my role in the Games."

Yeah, that wouldn't really be nice.

I wanted to tell her to be strong when I would be gone. I didn't want to think what would become of her and father when I would die. However, if fate wanted it, they would manage to cope somehow.

"I'll go get changed," I said and left her there, proceeding to my own room. It was quite bare but it didn't matter. Nothing did. Soon, someone else might use the room. Or maybe it would never be used again. I didn't know. My days were numbered here.

I brushed my messy dark hair, trying to make it a little less messy. My eyes were gray, just like my future. My arms were toned due to working and practicing with the hatchet. I knew I was going to die but it had to happen at the right time. Till then, I was going to keep fighting. If I didn't, it would be an insult to the memories of my siblings and I was't going to do that.

Putting on a gray shirt and dark jeans, I left the room. Somehow I knew this would be the day. Today was the last day I would see my home.

* * *

 **Lyra Stafford (16) D7F**

Where was my dress? I looked around my room, eyes darting towards every corner, trying to locate the pink gown I had saved just for today. It wasn't in the closet, it wasn't in the drawers, it wasn't anywhere! I seriously hated it when people touched my things and kept them where they didn't belong.

"Mom!" I called out although I didn't want to. She had a problem with the fact that I liked keeping things in an orderly manner. She just wanted to control everything in the house.

"Mom, have you seen my dress?"

"Yeah, it's in the small cupboard in your room," her voice came up.

I scowled. Why did she put my dress in a cupboard where I kept books? Books and dresses were different. Which idiot would think of putting so different things together? I opened the cupboard, only for the books to tumble down and hit me on the foot.

"OWW!" I cried as I pulled back my leg. There were books everywhere. They had fallen, so many of them. A few of them landed on their sides, their pages getting folded. I sat down on the floor, feeling angry and irritated at the same time as I started sorting the books according to their length and width and their thickness. The pages that got folded looked so bad and odd among completely clean and straight ones. I tried to straighten them but it wasn't working. I sighed, feeling slightly teary as I started putting them back in the cupboard in piles. After stacking them in, I stepped back to take a look at my handiwork.

"No no no…!"

It wasn't right. I had managed to put the small books at the bottom and the really large ones on top. I took out one set of those and started sorting them again, placing them carefully in their place. This time they were in a correct order. I nodded and set to align them so that the ones above were placed on the centre of the ones below. Now it looked perfect.

"That took some work," I said to myself. And then I noticed the dust on the shelves of the cupboard. How did it get so dusty when I cleaned it the day before? I was tempted to clean it straight away but resisted it.

"The Reapings, Lyra, the Reapings. They are the priority right now."

And so, reluctantly, I closed the cupboard after taking out the dress. it looked slightly crumpled at the edges now. I groaned. Having spent so much time to make it look ready and presentable, it was now wrinkled. I wanted to toss it away but I couldn't. None of my dresses were as perfect and neat as this. I'd have to with it.

I put it on and then inspected myself in the slightly cracked mirror. I didn't like that it was cracked but there was nothing I could do about it. Maybe I would buy a new one after saving some money. The crack was driving me nuts.

What should I do with my hair? They were brown and choppy. Should I just leave them flowing or should I braid them? Or maybe a bun? Or something else? I settled for a bun, that would be good for a formal occasion. So I started working on it, and it was intricate too. when I was done, I stepped back and examined myself in the cracked mirror. This hairdo looked good on my pale skin and brown eyes. I tried for a smile, for I had been told I always looked worried and 'neutral', whatever that meant.

The smile vanished.

There it was, a single strand of hair. No! I tried to tuck it behind my ear, for time was short and I had to get to the Square on time. The strand refused to stay where it was though and ultimately I had to use a hair clip to keep it in place. I felt weird that I had put the clip only on one side so I put one on the other side as well. Now it was perfect!

When I arrived at the Square, lots of people were already there. I got my finger pricked and then joined the other sixteen-year-old girls. The girl in front of me was wearing some very baggy clothes that obviously belonged to a guy and it looked just weird. I wanted to tell her to dress properly but held my tongue. It wasn't my business.

I saw the escort climb up the stage in a flowing black gown. She was just breathtakingly gorgeous. I sighed. I always dreamt that one day I would be in the Capitol. I didn't agree with their ideals but it was a life of glamour. They led lives that were extraordinary. After leading such a simple life, I longed for some glamour.

"District Seven! Let's start the Reapings, shall we? Our female tribute is Lyra Stafford!"

That couldn't be happening. Me? Reaped? But, but I hadn't even taken any tesserae! What was happening? I felt my legs starting to move forward on their own accord. I tried to stop but nothing happened. Soon, I was on the stage with hundreds of people staring up at me, but I couldn't do anything. I was Reaped…

"And the male tribute is Nikona Linwood!"

The gut who started walking forward looked as if he had never smiled in his life. He was unnaturally calm. It wasn't as if he was trying to hide his fear. It was as if he had expected this and had accepted it. when he got on the stage, he just looked at the District, resignation visible in his eyes.

I saw the mentor, Julius Adrian, examining us both closely. There was a sadness in his eyes although he was smiling for the camera. I wondered how he felt when his tributes died. He was a Capitolite after all. Di he feel any pain at the children's demise?

"Your tributes, District Seven, Lyra Stafford and Nikona Linwood!"

* * *

 ** _One week before the Reapings_**

 **District Thirteen**

 **Alan Aquila / Julius Adrian (28)**

The underground air didn't suit Alan much. he wondered how the people from Thirteen managed to live here, without any fresh air, without seeing the sky. If he were asked to live here forever, he would simply die. But right now he was here for his mission- and for a personal work. Alan usually never concerned himself with any personal work, or anything that wasn't related to his mission. But now, he was feeling desperate.

He had handed in his reports to Alma Coin and had already started working with Thirteen to take down the Capitol. Once Snow was dead, and Panem was free, Alan would be truly happy. But not before that. Never before that.

Of course, at one time he used to be happy. Even when he had his tongue cut off and forced into slavery. At least he had his friend. His friend whom he loved more than he loved himself, more than he loved even his cause.

Twelve years ago, before President Snow had taken control, Panem was ruthlessly ruled by President Albert Winter. Snow was an angel in his comparison, he was that cruel. When Albert's children started getting vocal about their dislike for the Games, he executed his daughter publicly and imprisoned his son Regal in his own mansion. Regal was smarter than his sister and never spoke against the Capitol. However, he started his own plans to undermine his father's reign. Regal managed to convince the citizens of the Capitol to turn against the President, that what they were all doing was wrong. And then Alan, a simple citizen from District Five was punished for speaking out against the Capitol. His family was murdered in front of his eyes and he himself was Avoxed.

It was pure luck and destiny that Alan was assigned to Regal.

The two became friends. Regal had the courage and resources. Alan had the brains. Together they started the biggest rebellion ever, for it was the one where Capitolites themselves had turned against Albert in an attempt to free the Districts. Of course, everyone was discreet about it.

But then twelve years ago, Regal and a victor from Seven, Samara Elvin, had died. Both committed suicide. Regal used his last desperate plan of becoming a suicide bomber to kill his father, thus freeing Panem and avenging his sister.

It didn't work.

Snow had gotten too powerful by that time. He found out about the rebels and cornered Samara, who was leading the rebellion alongside Regal. The girl, barely sixteen, considered it a crime to submit to Snow and slit her own throat.

Snow didn't know about the other rebels. Alan was presumed dead, and he had to undergo many operations to look different, to have a metallic tongue so he could speak. Documents and proofs had to be created to show that he was a Capitolite and his name was Julius Adrian.

Alan was tired of pretending. He was tired of thinking only about his cause.

He waited outside Ruby's office, waiting to be let in. She was a friend, and a genius. Her cloning system was phenomenal. As soon as they could make contact with Thirteen, Ruby had set up her own headquarters there, working diligently to provide the rebels and thirteen with invincible weapons and security. Although Sasha Flame was a little bitter that his wife spent her entire time on her experiments, there was nothing he could do about it.

A teenager sat down next to Alan. He had silver blond hair, and sparkling blue eyes. He was nineteen, just like Alan remembered him.

"Alan, you have done a lot for the country," he said in his soft soothing voice, "And I agree that you deserve better. You deserve happiness. But Alan, what you're doing is wrong."

"I'm tired," Alan said, tears streaming down his eyes. The teenager was the only person who had ever seen him cry. In front of him, Alan became the little boy that he always wanted to be.

"I'm here for you," the teenager said.

"No you're not!" Alan snapped, "You are- you're not even real!"

Regal Winter smiled sadly at his friend. Even he knew that he was just a figment of Alan's imagination. Regal had died twelve years ago but he never left Alan. He could never leave Alan.

The man had been hallucinating about his dead best friend since the past twelve years.

Regal advised him, and Alan carried out the plan. Just like it always was. But the man had known that it was all in his head, he knew he was schizophrenic, he knew he was mentally ill. That's why he was here. If there was one person who could understand his dilemma it was Ruby. She had lost her sister; she had cloned her. Alan lost his friend, his everything. Couldn't she make a clone for him?

He had never told any of his friends about his condition. They would try to help. He didn't want help; he just wanted the person who kept him alive back. He was scared of hallucinating about Regal. He wanted the real person.

Of course, he was attached to Samara. He would like to see her alive again, and he knew Haley would break into tears of joy if Sam walked up to her. But he also knew that bringing two people back to life was a little drastic. He would be asking too much from Ruby.

"Alan," Regal continued in his same sad voice, "Don't do it. It will be a clone. It won't be me."

"Regal, if you saw the clones Ruby can make, you won't say this. Opal's clone is exactly like her. She has the same opinions, same feelings, same memories. That's enough for me."

"It's wrong to play with death, Alan! The consequences aren't going to be in our favour. Listen to me and leave. Don't do this. Please, don't."

I opened my mouth to say something when I saw Ruby running towards me. She gave me a quick hug and beamed at me.

"They told me that you're here and I came running. Man, it gets boring without you guys! I mean, I even miss Sasha! Can you believe it?"

"Of course you will. You both are married, Ruby. It's time you start showing some respect for your husband."

"Oh please," she said, with an exaggerated motion of her hand, "Respect? Him? I married him only so that I can insult him day and night. Now if you were my husband, I could think about respect."

Despite himself, Alan grinned. It had been years since he had actually laughed or even genuinely smiled, but Ruby managed to make him grin. It honestly felt awkward to him when he did that.

"Okay Ruby," he said, looking at Regal, who had gone silent and was simply shaking his head, "Can you do me a favour?"

"Of course man," she said and then rearranged her features to look serious. "How can I help you?"

"Actually, it's a clone that I want you to make…"

* * *

 **There! Done! We're done with the reapings, yes! What did you think of these two tributes? Who do you prefer? Just to make things clear, Nikona is not right in the head. He was traumatised after his siblings' deaths and he never really recovered. So he expects to die in the games but he trains with a hatchet for it anyway. Because fate. And Lyra is suffering from OCD. Her family doesn't know it, she herself doesn't know it, but yeah. That's the thing. Hope it makes things clearer.**

 **What do you think of this chapter? And what do you think about Alan and his plan? He is a character who always makes me extremely emotional when I write for him, haha. Do you think he's taken a really drastic step to get his dead friend cloned? I have added Regal to the blog, in case you want to take a look. XD**

 **And now, finally, after the Reapings, who is your favourite character apart from your own? Also, I'm going to shamelessly ask you to review these three or so chapters because of my awesome update speed. Seriously, my fingers are falling apart.**

 **And, if you don't mind, there are readers who are reviewing or messaging me as they read. So I am going to ask you whether those who are doing neither are reading or not? No, I am not going to kill off your tribute or anything, but I just want to know. Sorry if I was rude.**

 **Hope you enjoyed this.**

 **Have a great day!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Train Rides**

* * *

 **District Four**

Sage was astounded by the sheer lavishness of the train. There were luxuries there he couldn't even imagine. His mouth slightly ajar, he took in everything. Mira, on the other hand, didn't look surprised or mesmerised by her surroundings. She looked at the two people in front of her. Haley smiled back at her kindly whereas Cress seemed to have eyes only for Sage. Mira thought that her District Partner was making a point of not even looking at the male mentor. She knew why but she couldn't understand how it was a problem. Sure, Cress had won while Sage's cousin Virgo didn't, but was that so big a reason to not even look at a guy. She shrugged. None of this emotional drama mattered to her. She was here to win, after all.

"Hi," Haley said with a smile, "I'm Haley and this is Cress. The two of us are going to be your mentors for this year and if there's anything you need; you can tell us.

"Now, I know Four produces Careers but I still want to ask you guys; why did you volunteer?"

"I was chosen," Mira replied, a small proud smirk on her face, "People thought that I was the best contender this year."

"And what about you, Sage?"

"I didn't want to be another District Four citizen," Sage replied honestly, "I was tired of working on the docks and leading this mundane life. And I want to prove to my family that I can win and it doesn't matter that my cousin didn't."

Cress pursed his lips at the words and Sage shot him a look. It was not a one that said 'I hate you' but more like 'Well?' Sage didn't hold a grudge against Cress but it did feel a little odd that the person who his cousin had considered as good as her brother hadn't tried to save her. Of course, he had made some feeble attempts but nothing that mattered. And now here he was, not speaking a word. Sage didn't know what to think of him.

"Okay," Haley said, "I'm sure you'll do well, Sage. And you too, Mira. Anyway, so, tell us something about yourselves."

"I've been working on the docks my whole life," Sage said, "After that I trained a bit. And I attended school, but I wasn't that regular. There's nothing interesting about me. I can use a trident well, if that helps."

"Well, I work as a dance teacher in my locality and so I am quite flexible. And well, I trained. There's really nothing to talk about the past. Don't you think we should make a plan already?"

"We need all the information about you to make a plan," Cress interjected, speaking for the first time.

"Exactly," Haley agreed, "We need to know everything about you two."

Sage shrugged. There was really nothing else to tell. "I like swimming," he said, just for the sake of it.

"That's good."

The mentors waited for the tributes to say more but they didn't. Mira and Sage looked at each other and shrugged. It felt so weird to talk about oneself.

"I like to work in a team," Mira said finally, "I'm good at working and leading a team."

"That's a plus point, Mira. Leadership qualities are important. However, if you are made the leader of the Career alliance, I'd recommend you keep an eye out for danger. Because when the alliance is about to break, the leader is murdered first," Cress said.

"Thanks man, that's what tributes need."

Before Cress could say anything, Haley interrupted them.

"Guys, guys, I understand it might be awkward. So what I suggest is, we watch the Reapings, analyse the competition and then plan ahead. Okay?"

"Alright," Mira and Sage said together.

They might as well watch who the competition was. Both of them felt the need to be the best but they weren't feeling any close affinity for each other. But at least they weren't hostile, that would be problematic.

Haley turned on the TV and both the tributes turned towards the screen.

* * *

 **District Three**

Isaac Magnum had had enough of Maverick's attitude. He was unwilling to talk, unwilling to take help and unwilling to interact even with Nine. Not that Nine looked very interested in talking. She just stared out of the window, a thoughtful look on her face. Isaac didn't know what to do.

"Maverick, Nine, why don't you two tell me a little about yourselves?"

"What's there to tell?" Nine replied, "Poverty is the only word." And with that she went back to staring outside the window.

"Let's see," Maverick said, putting his finger to his chin as if he was thinking, "I had an aunt who was Reaped. She was stupid enough to ally with her District partner and the said guy slit her throat later on and ultimately emerged victorious. Rings a bell, Magnum?"

Magnum pursed his lips. He knew exactly what Maverick was talking about. The boy smiled at him in a crazy manner and Isaac didn't know how to respond.

Nine didn't like it that a quarrel was evidently approaching. She didn't want to be a part of it, she already had enough on her plate. She wanted to discuss strategy, or analyse the opposition. There was no way that she was just going to give up.

"We should watch the Reapings," she suggested, trying to avoid a conflict.

"Good idea," Isaac said, getting the hint. Maverick didn't say anything and settled himself on the couch, far away from Nine and Isaac. He had been the District partner of his aunt and had murdered her when he got the chance. Maverick didn't want anything to do with that man. And he wanted to keep a safe distance from his District partner. Whatever it was, he wasn't going to repeat his aunt's mistake.

The tributes both turned their attention to the television. District one's seal appeared. The girl, Gretchen, looked strong and confident as she walked towards the stage. However, the guy, who was another volunteer, was just… weird. He had a strange appearance and he just gave weird vibes, even from a TV screen. King, his name was, and it seemed that the first thing he did was to challenge his District Partner through his words.

The girl from Two was Reaped, which was a shocking thing to happen. However, the intimidating aura around her made them think that she was one of those they had to watch out for. The guy, Sel, was a volunteer, as expected. He looked strong and dangerous and a bit enthusiastic, but Appalachia looked more dangerous.

Next was District Three, and Isaac frowned when he saw Nine storm up to the stage and then push the mic away when it was offered to her. When Maverick was Reaped, he addressed the District, and that already increased his chances of getting sponsors. Isaac nodded approvingly.

District Four offered tough careers. Mirabel's 'I volunteer' was very lazy, as if it was no big deal for her. She confidently walked up to the stage, not worried about anything. Nine marked her to be the most dangerous Career yet, even more than King and Appalachia. Maverick could have agreed. And then there was the boy, Sagittarius Ryans. He looked so childish that these two couldn't believe he had volunteered. He still seemed to have some childish innocence about him, and the two knew at once who the weakest Career was going to be. But even then, Sagittarius was strong, and they had to treat him as a threat.

District Five screamed bloodbath to all the three present there. Deena had to be literally dragged to the stage, and although she was strong enough to not cry, she seemed to be in too great a shock to do much. And the boy was worse. He seemed unable to comprehend what was happening. He had to be helped up the stage and even there he looked dizzy and weak. Nine felt bad for both of them and Maverick was sorry that they had been but the two knew instantly that those two were goners.

The girl from Six was shocked. Nine didn't feel she had much of a chance as the girl started towards the stage at a very slow pace. As if moving slowly would change the truth. But the boy was what made them both gasp and Isaac stare. He had two heads. And he had volunteered. One of the heads was looking angry, the other looked just scared. Then they found out that they were two people.

"Conjoined twins…" Maverick whispered, unable to believe what he was seeing. He had never seen or even heard that somebody else had seen conjoined children. This had to be a miracle. Nine felt scared of them. What were they going to be like? She didn't' want to run into them in the arena for sure.

"Well," Isaac said, "Interesting tributes. Now let's discuss what we should do about these five districts first."

* * *

 **District Six**

Anya didn't know how to handle the situation.

It was her first year, and there was already this complication. Now, it wasn't the fault of Chevalier twins that they were conjoined but why did they have to volunteer? The girl didn't know what to do about it. if they were joined at the hip or something they could have still been operated and separated. But at the neck? If one would die, then the other would too.

"May I ask why you two volunteered?" she said, trying to keep her voice calm and her expression easy. Her eyes, however, betrayed her feelings.

Illea glanced at the Chevalier twins, who remained quiet. She felt afraid of them; two-headed people were not a common sight, but she felt sympathy and pity for them at the same time. She didn't know what to do anymore.

Raylic answered finally, "We were forced to, Anya."

"Who forced you?"

"The authorities," Roslin replied, his voice full of rage, "They told us to volunteer. They wanted to give us away for experimentation, and we refused, so they threatened us into doing this."

And conveniently, he forgot to add that he had killed a Peacekeeper.

Illea didn't feel as if Roslin was telling the truth. The way his eyes didn't meet Anya's made her feel uneasy. What was it about the twins that she couldn't place a finger on?

"You should have bombed them," Anya said, "Volunteering for the Games… you do realise that your chances are lower than most other tributes, right?"

"Yeah," Raylic said sadly, "We understand that."

"Hey, don't give up already," Anya said kindly, "I'm sure we can work out something, right? So now, I've noticed a few things about you. Roslin, you're aggressive whereas you, Raylic, are comparatively calm and collected."

"What do you-"

Anya held up her hand and Roslin went silent, glaring at her furiously. Who did she think she was to order him to stop talking? He was tired of being treated this way.

Raylic though, was eager to listen to more. He was sure their mentor was going somewhere important with this. Anya cleared her throat.

"So, as I was saying, Raylic seems more calm to me, the one who is less likely to panic. Now since you both share the same body, I'd suggest that Roslin, you should take up the fighting department and Raylic, you should be the one to strategize. So, in dire situations, it would be better if your body obeyed Raylic but where fighting is required, Roslin should take control.

"And Roslin, it will be better for both of you if you listen to your brother when a split-second decision has to be made. Both of you will be in mortal trouble if Raylic wills your body to do something and Roslin wills it to do something else."

"That hasn't been a problem till now."

"But it can be," Illea said. Anya turned towards her with a smile. "It can be a problem in the games, because there you will have to think things in a second and work on it right away. You can't have a debate there."

"Exactly. Nicely presented, Illea.

"And now, about you. You told me earlier that you like adventures. It's good and bad at the same time. Just remember that you'll be fighting to the death this time. You can't get away with anything. You'll have to struggle and don't do anything rash or impulsive. You'll end up killing yourself.

"However, the good part is that you already know what danger is like. At a time when you need to flee, I'm sure you know what you have to do.

"And that brings us to the important part."

Raylic, Roslin and Illea looked at Anya as she downed a glass of water. She met their gaze and smiled at them.

"If the time comes, be ready to flee at once. Don't be noble, don't be kind. Kill if you have to, and flee the moment you see danger coming. Don't wait for your allies, don't try to save them. Try to save your own skin."

Roslin scoffed. He wouldn't be getting any allies. Raylic was all he needed, he wasn't going to befriend any of these tributes. At the same time, Raylic felt horrified at the thought of abandoning a potential ally. That would be so wrong to do! Yes, he wanted to get out alive, but by betrayal? No.

Illea gulped. Disloyalty was not easy for her. She could not even bring herself to think of betraying anyone, of killing anyone.

Anya seemed to be asking too much from all three of them.

* * *

 **District Nine**

Clarke couldn't help but stare at the boy next to her. He seemed to be unable to stand or sit properly, as if every move caused him pain, but there seemed to be satisfaction written on his face, something Clarke was unable to understand. How could anyone be satisfied with the thought that they were going into the arena? Even Clarke volunteered only because she needed to escape. She wasn't happy about her decision, for she knew that killing was wrong. Her only comfort at the moment was that she wouldn't kill the tributes like a sadist. She wouldn't drag it out. Never.

Durain observed the girl beside him keenly. It was always nice to observe other people. They were so different from them, so normal. Durain wished to be like them. Maybe, for the next few weeks, he would manage that.

"What happened?" Clarke asked, unable to stop herself.

"What?"

"You- you look hurt."

"Oh this," Durain said, "This is nothing. Seriously nothing."

Clarke didn't move her gaze an inch from his face and he sighed.

"I was beaten by dad today. That's it."

Clarke's eyes widened a bit and her muscles tightened.

"What? Why?!"

"Oh nothing," Durain said, "Nothing at all. I was being bad, you know. I've been bad since the day I was born."

There was much more pain in that statement than Clarke would like to notice. It was as if Durain was going through some very big physical pain even as he thought about it.

"Anyway, why did you volunteer?"

"That's my business."

"My injuries were my business too."

Clarke smiled at that and shook her head. "I was tired," she said finally, "Tired of being stuck at home. Around people who didn't even care."

"We're pretty similar in that regard."

"Yeah."

Clarke looked down at her lap. Why was she even talking to him? They were going to be at each other's throats in a few days. Neither would hesitate to kill the other; at least Clarke was completely willing.

"Will you, do you- will you be my ally?" Durain asked. He knew he was hoping for too much. Clarke was strong. She could be in the Career pack. Why would she want to ally with him? He wasn't keen on her either. It was just that he wanted female allies. Durain was wary of men in general. He had discovered that men were physically more abusive and aggressive, and now when he was finally free of that nightmare, he didn't want some other man to resume his torture.

But Clarke had other plans.

"I'm sorry Durain," she said, "But I don't think that's possible."

"Oh. Okay then. That's alright."

Durain did feel a little down. Now he would have to trap some naïve girl to do his bidding. It would have been better to have a strong girl like Clarke as an ally but that wasn't happening so he would have to try somewhere else. Clarke would have been able to fend off other tributes and when the time would come, he could have just finished her. Yes, he felt guilty about thinking that way. He felt ashamed even, to some extent. But he wanted to win, and that's what mattered.

Clarke seemed to know what her District Partner was thinking. If she didn't get such vibes from him, she would have even agreed. But she planned on being with the Careers, and she didn't want to be used as a security guard by some boy who talked sweetly but whose thoughts moved in a horrible fashion. No, she was fine.

They both settled back in their couch, not a word passing between them, waiting for their mentor to come.

* * *

 **District Ten**

Judah waited for the mentors anxiously, tapping her feet on the floor. She had not expected to be Reaped. She was not ready. How could she kill? She would never forgive herself. She jerked her head towards Ryder, who was quite calm considering the situation. Why was she not that calm?

"Why are you staring at me?" Ryder asked bluntly.

"Uh, I, uh," Judah said but couldn't manage to say anything.

Ryder didn't comment on her unfinished statement and resorted to stare out of the window. They were passing green landscapes that were deserted, and Ryder was surprised that such places were there in Panem. Of course, there had to be some places connecting the Capitol and the Districts. If only he could have visited those places…

He was not feeling as calm as he appeared to be.

A sense of doom was clouding over him already. He was afraid for his life. He was afraid for his sanity. So many tributes had gone mad for the Capitol's entertainment. Ryder didn't want to go that way. He wanted to live, wanted to grow up and get married and lead a peaceful life. None of that seemed probable now.

More silence.

Judah couldn't take it anymore. How could her District Partner remain so calm in a calamity like this? Was he not scared? Did he not fear death?

"Why are you so calm?" she asked finally, her voice full of admiration, irritation and general curiosity.

"Just because."

"That's no answer."

"That's no question. I can feel whatever I want to. I don't need to ask you."

Judah turned red at this bluntness and this sheer show of rudeness. She opened her mouth to say something rude back but then decided against it. She had been taught to be forgiving. She wasn't going to let a boy forget that.

He sighed.

"I am worried too," he said, almost casually, "But there's nothing to do about it. We're chosen. We'll have to fight. There is no other choice."

Judah frowned. On one hand, it felt better to know that she wasn't the only one freaking out, and that Ryder was in the same boat as her. On the other hand, she considered his statement. Was there really no choice? Couldn't she run away? Couldn't she try to blend in with the crowd when they reached the Capitol? She seriously considered that. Maybe she could simply return and get back on the train and hide. Of course, a search would be made. But maybe she could try it. Just maybe.

"If you're thinking you can hide, or run," Ryder said softly, "You're wrong. They'll just get your family if they can't get you."

He didn't feel nice about making her feel even more miserable but there were things that had to be put frankly. It was just like killing animals; some realities had to be faced, however ugly they were. He saw Judah's face fall as she thought about the consequences of running away. As for Ryder, he was never going to do that. No reason was good enough to him to put his family in such a situation where they would have to face worse than him. It was unacceptable to him.

"You're right," Judah said. She didn't want to talk anymore. Just the day when she decided she would go looking for the cult-leader, this happened. What was it that God wanted?

"Oh God," she whispered, "Please, please give me the strength to do this."

But what was she asking strength for? To kill people? To avoid them? To watch them die? She didn't know. She just didn't.

Ryder went back to stare outside the window. There were so many beautiful things outside. He thought about home, his siblings, his father. He wanted to see them again.

He would see them again.

* * *

 **District Eight**

The scene on the Eight train was almost… comical. Justin sat in a corner, looking exasperated and trying to ignore the girl who was purring on the couch. He couldn't believe his mentor even. Chip had spent some good ten minutes surveying the girl in front of him, and for some reason he found the tail fascinating.

"Justin," Chip asked as his eyes followed the tail of Fancy Viridian, "How willing are you to kill in the arena?"

"I don't want to…" Justin said uncertainly. The other two teens in the carriage were creeping him out.

"If you don't want to kill," Chip replied calmly, "The gamemakers don't want to let you live."

Kitty laughed as he smiled at her. He slid over to her, leaving a rather horrified Justin to think about his predicament, and was soon on his knees, looking up at her.

"And what about you, Fancy?" he asked.

Fancy scowled at him and then meowed angrily at him. She didn't want anyone, especially Charles, to refer to her as Fancy when she had tried so hard to come across as a psychopath just as he had.

"It's Kitty!" she responded angrily and Charles smirked.

"I was just kidding. You look cute when you're angry."

If it was possible for a cat to blush, then it would have looked just like Fancy did. She didn't respond for a while, even though her mentor was still on his knees, looking into her eyes, his hand on hers. He leaned in closer, and Fancy didn't know what to do about this closeness. She could feel his breath and just when she had decided to push him back, and just as Justin turned away from them expecting something indecent, a hand grabbed her neck and shoved her with such force that she was on the floor in the other end of the carriage, and Charles was on her instantly, a kitchen knife in his hand.

"You may meet people in the arena," he said, turning towards Justin as he stepped back from the girl, "who you will be attracted to, and who will use this to their advantage. So if either of you finds an ally with simply gorgeous eyes, it's your cue to not let it get to you."

He extended his hand towards Kitty, who was still on the floor. She grabbed it and just as Charles was about to pull her up, she pulled him down, yanked the knife from his hand, placed her knee on his chest and held the knife against his throat.

"Nobody messes with Kitty," she purred. It might have sounded like a sweet cat's voice, but her eyes betrayed the anger she felt.

Justin stared at them. He hadn't known Kitty could do that. Sure, he knew she was rich. She hadn't even said a word to him till now that wasn't an insult, and even those had been few, but this, this was something else. In fact, Justin was already performing the same move in his head. It might be useful, and although Kitty was smart, she had let her pride and anger get the better of her. So Justin just watched as Charles lay on the floor, a knife to his throat and a creepy smile on his face.

"Justin," he said, his eyes gazing into Kitty's, "From this you can understand that you should never let your guard down. Look where she has me now. Well done, Kitty. You certainly seem to have knowledge about fighting, and I'm really happy about it. I think you can make it far."

"I will make it far, Charles," Kitty said with a smirk, "And I hope I have your help there?"

"Both of you do," Chip replied.

Justin waited for Kitty to get off of Charles but it didn't happen. The boy wasn't feeling right about this. It felt as if their mentor had already picked out his favourite, and although he called out to Justin every time he had to say something, it was Kitty in whom he saw potential.

Justin was going to prove him wrong. Whether it be by showing himself weak, or by proving his strength, he was going to get all the help from his mentor, and make it out alive. Then he would see who had the potential.

"Kitty," Chip said, "I think you should move away. Justin might think we're about to do something… inappropriate."

And it was as if Kitty had forgotten about the position she was in, her knee on his chest. Too close. Too close.

With a 'meow' she leapt back like a cat and then laughed maniacally. Charles laughed too, although his eyes didn't hold any humour in them. He was still on the floor and Justin decided to help him up; he just looked too lazy to do so himself.

Just as the boy reached the mentor and helped him pull himself up, Charles brought his lips close to his ears.

"Did you take note of her move or not, Justin? Just don't repeat it on her, but keep it engraved in your mind."

With that he stepped back and winked, before joining Kitty on the couch. Justin frowned.

Could it be… could it be that it was him that Charles saw potential in?

* * *

 **Here! Train Rides One! What do you of this chapter? Hope you enjoyed. I got a little carried away for D8... maybe because of Chip. I don't know. Let me know your thoughts on this chapter.**

 **Have a great day!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Train Rides**

* * *

 **District One**

Despite what Gretchen had felt earlier, King was creeping her out. He had that strange smile on his face, the smile that honestly scared her. It was as if he'd eat her up. The two of them sat as far apart from each other as they could. the girl was not liking how intensely King was staring at her.

"Is there a problem?" she asked finally.

"Not at all," King replied with a smirk. It appeared to Gretchen as if he'd been possessed by someone. He had definitely not been this creepy during the Reapings.

King, on the other hand, was mildly surprised that a fully trained Career could be caught unawares too. he hadn't thought he would creep her out to this extent but was glad he did anyway. His creepiness might just be what was needed to get farther and beat the other Careers. He was not a fool; he knew perfectly well that the Careers posed him danger. It would be wise to scare them before they would turn on him.

"May I ask why you are staring at me?"

"No reason at all."

And yet he refused to look away.

Gretchen was getting irritated now. Did he think he could intimidate her like this? She had proven her worth at the Academy, and she was going to do so again. King, on the other hand, knew exactly what she was thinking. Her expressions betrayed her, and he knew that most other people would be affected too.

They had watched the first part of the reapings and then both Amira and Lux simply went inside, telling them that they had to discuss some important stuff. It had been forty minutes already, and King wanted to continue watching the Reapings. He had to start picking up targets.

The two shared the same opinion about the other Careers.

The girl from Two was a threat, and so was the girl from Four. The boy from Two looked more like the classic Career, but seemed to lack the ruthlessness of a boy from Two. And finally there was the Four boy, who just gave the vibes of somebody weak. There was no denying it even.

And then there had been the volunteer from Six. He had literally two heads, two heads that could speak differently. That creeped both of them out. The boy was a freak and he had to be taken down. Immediately.

Even as the two tributes started getting impatient, the door opened and their mentors walked in. Amira looked worried, and made a note of staying away from King. Lux, however, was oblivious to everything.

"Sorry it took so long," he said and sat down on the couch next to his fellow mentor.

"No problem," Gretchen said with a smile. She was certain they were working on a plan for both of them individually. If she was being honest, she didn't want to work with King. The very thought of him in the alliance was horrifying.

King sensed that too. he frowned. No, he couldn't scare off his potential allies. He would have to make Gretchen feel relaxed. It wouldn't be too hard though. It shouldn't be anyway.

"So, shall we continue with the Reapings?"

Both the tributes nodded and then leant back in their couch, ready to take notes in their minds.

* * *

 **District Two**

"That guy is creepy," Raze decided as he stared at the screen. The boy from Seven looked too calm. Even Careers were not that collected. And the girl, she seemed to be… lost.

"I think he'll survive the bloodbath," Raze continued, "Not the girl though. Not the girl."

Appalachia didn't comment. She had not commented on anyone till now. Her quietness was worrying Ajax and Styx. She hadn't been chosen but she was dangerous. The problem seemed to be that she was too dangerous. Ajax was certain that when the time would come she would not hesitate to kill even Raze.

Now District Eight… that made her give her opinion for the first time. It was a simple 'what the heck?!' but it brought the point across effectively. Neither Raze nor the mentors knew what improvisation could be made to that simple remark. The female tribute was a… cat. A girl who was a cat. A green cat. Green, of all the things. And she had a tail. Of course, it wasn't real but still. A cat. The boy simply faded in comparison. Who could stand out next to a tribute who was a… cat?

They hadn't even gotten over the shock and amusement of seeing a cat for a tribute when District Nine's Reapings started. The girl was a volunteer. A volunteer, from Nine. Appalachia narrowed her eyes. Raze voiced what was in her mind.

"She's a threat, that one."

"She is," Styx agreed, "Just look at her. She looks strong, and she volunteered. You two better keep an eye out for her."

Next to the girl, the boy appeared to be weak. He literally seemed to be weak, as if he hadn't eaten in days and beaten up mercilessly. There was a smile on his face which worried Raze. What was the boy going through? Why was he walking so awkwardly?

"I say," Appalachia said, pausing the Reapings just as District Ten's seal flashed on the screen, "That we take her into the alliance."

"I second her," Raze replied, confident of the idea, "She could be invaluable to us."

Ajax and Styx nodded appreciatively. It was good to see them both agree on something. And it was even better that the girl had started showing some interest in the proceedings. She still looked furious about being Reaped.

District Ten offered average tributes. The girl was in tears and walking with such shaky steps it seemed as if she would just fall down. Appalachia smirked while Raze raised his brows. Both agreed that she was a bloodbath. The guy was much more collected though. He didn't look very scared, and Raze appreciated his ability to hide his fear. He thought that Ryder would live through the bloodbath.

District Eleven offered _another_ volunteer girl, and she looked strong just like Clarke did. She openly declared that she was going to return as a victor. Both Raze and Appalachia decided she was a threat. But the boy, the boy was only twelve. The kid was trying his best to look brave and strong but they could see. They could all see.

Raze lowered his head slightly. He didn't want to kill someone that young, and he hoped he wouldn't be the one to do so. He was a child, and a really cute one at that. He didn't deserve it. Appalachia, however, was not much concerned. The kid reminded her of all the idiots back in Two. She wouldn't mind killing him. Well, she might even enjoy it.

The girl from Twelve tried to act strong, but the stiffness of her body betrayed her. She was scared and the tributes from Two were certain that she would die early, maybe in the bloodbath itself. But when the boy was reaped, Raze declared him to be a threat. He just gave the vibes of someone dangerous, someone who was willing to do anything to win. Appalachia thought he could go far, but win? She didn't think so.

And with that the Reapings ended. There were some tough tributes, some who were creepy and some who were just abnormal.

"Well," Raze said, leaning back, "We have our work cut out for us."

* * *

 **District Five**

Deena didn't know what to do.

Talon was just sitting there, staring at space. She wondered if he had even watched the Reapings. Deena felt bad for him. But seriously, he should have at least paid attention. It would have been for his own good if he had been as smart or strong as her. At least she could keep it collected.

"T-the Six boy," she said slowly, "He- he-"

"There's n-not one single boy," Sasha replied as he crossed his legs, "There- there are two boys. They ae conjoined."

Deena took it as a personal insult that he had stuttered like she did. Little did she know that their mentor was as shy around girls, even little ones, as she was around anyone else.

"They are conjoined…" Talon repeated. Deena looked up at him. He knew she thought that he had been trying to control himself, but he really had paid attention to the Reapings. And he had marked down threats.

"Do I… do I see an alliance between you two?"

"No," Deena said, for once her voice strong and clear, "I don't want allies. I can never work with other people."

She had said a lot more than she thought she would. Talon's shoulders slumped. He thought that maybe she had refused because she didn't want a weak ally like him. He wouldn't be surprised.

"Are you sure?" Sasha asked sceptically. He didn't like the idea of a little girl running around the arena completely alone. Anyone could target her. Although they shouldn't, there were too many strong tributes around and if he knew the Career pack, they would try to eliminate the threats from the Outer Districts first. But then both the tributes from Five were young, too young. He didn't know how to handle them.

"I'm sure," Deena replied, not looking at him. She wanted to be left alone now, not wanting to discuss it further. She didn't want Sasha's help.

Talon, however, had other ideas.

"I'll try to get allies," he said, "I think I could ask the boy from Eight. I mean, he looked fine."

"You need to keep your options more open," Sasha said, "If he doesn't agree, you'll have to ask someone else. Maybe someone who will sympathise with younger kids like you."

"You're telling me to play the sympathy card? Show myself to be so weak that people would take pity on me?"

Sasha sighed. "When you put it that way, it sounds humiliating," he admitted, "But sadly, that's what I'm asking you to do. Just- just don't show your weak side to those who you think are threats."

Deena watched as Talon's eyes turned bleak. Unlike her, he seemed to have lost all hope. She wished she could help him but honestly, having allies would lower her chances. She just couldn't work with them. Plus, an ally like Talon wouldn't be a good idea anyway.

The boy did feel hopeless. Miserable. There just didn't seem to be any way. When his District Partner didn't want him, why would anyone else? Much to the boy's surprise, somebody wrapped their strong arms around him, pulling him into a hug. He didn't even know Sasha well, but the tears had started to flow, and he sobbed in the man's chest, who held him tightly.

"Don't give up hope, Talon," he muttered, "I'm right here. We'll figure out a way."

And there. Deena knew now who Sasha was going to support. She had expected it the moment the boy had started crying about his situation. She pursed her lips. Well, she could form her own strategy. She was going to do that anyway. But it just seemed wrong that Sasha was already favouring Talon.

And Sasha, Sasha didn't know how to handle it. But he would try. He would try because he was tired of watching them die. He was going to do all he could to bring one of them back.

* * *

 **District Twelve**

Cameron laughed, looking at the expressions of the two tributes. He had honestly no hope for them. Children from Twelve never survived.

Erin clenched her fists. It was because of this same attitude that Finley had died. If Cameron had been a little more supportive, maybe they would have a victor. Maybe it was a record, but literally every tribute till now had wanted to slap him. Erin felt that way too as she looked at his goading face.

Ashleigh took no note of Cameron's comments or laughter. He was worried about Armite. When she had come to say goodbye, he had literally broken down as he embraced her. But he couldn't tell her. He couldn't tell his Armite that he was going to a death match. However, he did give her a hint that he may not return. Armite was not have happy about it but she remained brave. That's all he could ask of her. To be brave.

"How about we make an alliance?" Ashleigh suggested. It was not in his nature to talk, but he had to. For Armite's sake.

Erin regarded him cautiously. Was there a catch? Well, apart from ensuring his own safety, everyone made allies because of that, but other than that? Would he use her when the time would come? She narrowed her eyes as she considered her options. He seemed to be a decent enough fellow. Maybe she could risk it.

"Alright," she replied curtly.

"Haha!" Cameron laughed, "Allying with your district partner is the _worst_ mistake you could make!"

Both the tributes decided to ignore him.

"I hope there will be nobody else in the alliance?" Erin asked.

Ashleigh thought about it. It would be better to have one more ally, just to be on a safe side. He voiced his opinion and Erin nodded.

"Fine," she said reluctantly, "One more ally. Only one more."

"Done."

"Ah silly girl," Cameron said lazily, "Boys _never_ keep their promises!"

They ignored him again.

"Also, we must decide on an arena strategy," Ashleigh said. He had already talked more than he did to someone other than Armite, and had no desire for any more conversation. But he was going to go ahead with it anyway.

Erin didn't know what to add there. Part of the reason was Cameron. It didn't matter that she wasn't replying to him; the guy's words were getting to her. He advised them against everything they were doing. Or advised _her._ Was she doing the right thing, trusting Ashleigh?

"Not trusting," she thought, "Just agreeing to be allies. For a while."

Would it really be only for while?

"We would need supplies but running towards the cornucopia madly seems to be- well- mad."

"Yeah," the boy said, closing his eyes, thinking. He had to think of a way to survive the bloodbath first, preferably unscathed. What would be the best thing to do? Why was it so hard to come up with a plan when one seriously needed it?!

"How about you hide at the bloodbath?" Cameron suggested, "And then sneak away with the supplies."

And then, as if it occurred to him that the plan was very bizarre, he started chuckling like the mentally ill person he appeared to be.

Erin's and Ashleigh's eyes met. It was a good idea actually. Could it be done? If it could... Then they would be able to cross the first stage.

* * *

 **District Eleven**

Winnie spared little Lennon glances as he sobbed, and tried not to sob, getting conflicted with his emotions. He was scared, and rightfully so, but he wanted to present himself as strong so that their mentor wouldn't ignore them. Winnie felt horrible for the kid. He was too young; and had little to no chance.

"Why did you volunteer?" Casket asked. Winnie personally found 'Casket' a really weird name, but who was she to complain?

"I think I can win," she replied, "My mother's- she needs medication."

"And you thought this was the only way to help her out?" Casket demanded almost aggressively.

"Listen mister," she said heatedly, "I've been living on the streets because of a reason; I didn't get a job. We are poor. So, why would I not grab the chance to win some money?"

"You can die, you fool!"

"So that will be my problem!"

The two glared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Who did this man think he was to tell her off for her decision? What if she died? She would have nobody to blame but herself, so he shouldn't be making it his business.

"I wish you were a boy," Lennon said, "Then I wouldn't be here."

He looked so sad, and so small that both of them stopped their angry bickering. Lennon was feeling utterly downcast. What did he have? He couldn't fight, he was weak and he was thin. He had no skills. He hadn't paid much attention to the previous games to think of any strategy. It was a hopeless thing.

"Well, you're not hopeless, child," Casket said kindly.

Lennon, if it was possible, felt even more miserable. Now they were pitying him. Hot tears brimmed up in his eyes. Sure, he might not survive, but pity? Seriously?

"Don't pity me," he said angrily, "I don't need it!"

"I'm not pitying you, son!"

"Listen kid. Stop whining and do what Casket says. Nobody's got the time to 'pity' you."

Winnie knew that her little comment would make Lennon even sadder, and Casket even angrier, but she also knew that little kids like Lennon needed a little bit of rudeness to get them to work.

It worked.

Lennon glared at Winnie through his bleak eyes. This foolish girl, who _volunteered,_ was telling him to stop whining. He wasn't whining!

"I'm not whining," he grumbled.

"Yes you are."

"Guys, guys, calm down!"

The two tributes shut up and looked at Casket, who let out a deep sigh. Why were children so difficult? When he had been a tribute, he had silently listened to his mentor ad acted on her advice. What was it with the younger kids?

"So," he said, "I know you two may be thinking: The Games are all about killing and it is only slaughter. You're wrong. The Hunger Games is all about mind games, and your will and skills to survive. Of course, you must know how to fight, but flight is the better option. Always. It's better to be seen as a coward than being a foolhardy."

"But we must know about weapons," Lennon said promptly.

"Yes you should," Casket said, "And, I think you should try a small weapon, Lennon. Something like a knife or a dagger. As for you Winifred-"

"My fists are my weapon, thanks," Winnie said curtly, "Although I will keep the survival thing in mind."

And she simply _forgot_ to tell that she knew quite a lot about plant identification and healing. Why should she anyway?

But Lennon wasn't so sure. There was something off about her. There was something they couldn't see, but she was hiding something.

He just hoped that _he_ could gather a skill to beat others.

* * *

 **District Seven**

Julius was going to have a hard time working with these tributes.

On one hand there was Lyra, who was staring at his clothing in awe. She was checking the fabric and the colour and admiring the Capitol stylists so much that it gave him a headache. But he had never faced something so…bizarre, and he didn't know how to react. He was only glad that Haley and Cress weren't there to see him.

Anyway, Lyra, who found Capitol fashion to be quite the thing, couldn't get her eyes off Alan's elaborate clothing. It was to a point that he was tempted to change into something else and give her what he had on. Apart from the amazing fashionable clothes, Lyra was impressed by the way they had arranged the train. It was spotless, and everything was well placed. Despite being very scared for her life Lyra was glad that the place was orderly. Had it been messy, she would have been much more tensed.

The same could not be said about Nikona.

He sat in a corner, next to the door, sighing as he thought of the impending doom. How long would he last? One day? Two? Maybe three? Not more than that. Never more than that. No, he bore nobody grudge regarding that. It was his own destiny, and a part of him was even looking forward to it, although he wouldn't admit it. Nikona believed in an afterlife, and he knew that soon, he would join his siblings there. Maybe they would stay happy then. The thought made him feel much more relaxed about his own upcoming death.

Julius was having none of it.

"Lyra, you should look for a smaller alliance," he said, "I don't think you should be with a lot of people."

"But why?"

"Uh, because the larger the alliance is, the higher the chance is that you'll end up dead faster."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, consider this. You have a large alliance, and then you all make it moderately far into the games. Then you realise that the only way to win is to kill the alliance members, and that will get you to the end faster because you have a huge alliance, and if you eliminate them, a large chunk of tributes will be gone."

"So you're saying that people will turn on me?" Lyra asked incredulously. To think that she would be betrayed by someone was weird to her. How could anyone betray her?

"However hard you try, you're going to die," Nikona informed her wisely, "Just like me."

"Thank you for your opinion Nikona," Julius said, "But there are some things that you should keep to yourself. Your negativity, for example."

Nikona looked as if he'd wanted to argue but then sighed and turned away. Julius was doing his job. And it was to make the tributes sure that they could win with the right strategy. It was a fruitless job, but fate had decided to do this to Julius, so who was Nikona to argue with it?

"Lyra, I'd suggest you ally with a couple of kids. That's it. I would say the boy from Five would be a good ally, although not a very strong one."

"But he's so… weak?" Lyra said.

"Oh he is weak, but not as much as you think. Trust me, he'll help you get far. He'll at least help you get past the bloodbath."

"And now you…"

Neither as Alan nor as Julius did the mentor know how to handle a person like Nikona. He just talked about fate. How they were all going to die. Heck, he had even told Julius that his life would end one day too. how could he make Nikona more… positive?

"Nikona," he said, "A single ally would be good for you too. Try the boy from Eight or the boy from Ten. They look strong enough to escape the bloodbath, and good enough to not ditch you in the beginning itself."

"As you say," Nikona said.

Julius felt like screaming. However, in a tone much more calm than he felt, he continued, "Nikona, I understand that two people have already been Reaped from your family. I understand you think that you have no chance. But let me tell you, you _have_ a chance. Just, just try your very best to remain positive. Hope is not lost. If not for yourself, do it for your family."

"I've not… given up," Nikona said, "I'm going to try because if I don't I will be disrespecting my siblings. But I have accepted reality. And reality is that I'll be seeing them soon."

And Nikona _had_ accepted it. He was going to die. So was Lyra. He was calling one of the lady careers a victor.

Julius closed his eyes for a second then opened them, and with a smile he turned towards Lyra.

"Let's decide which weapons and skills you should work on."

* * *

 **The train rides come to an end. Which section did you like best? Which mentor did you like best? If anyone says Cameron, I'll be pleasantly surprised. XD So, please let me know your thoughts on the chapter.**

 **Have a good day!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Charles "Chip" Chevrolet (18) D8 Mentor**

Chip really disliked being in this particular hall, with all the mentors there, greeting each other as if they were beasties. They were not. They were all trying to beat each other, trying to bring their tribute back home. Not that it was wrong. No, it wasn't. But he just wished they were all real about it. Some of them actually asked how the rest were getting along with their respective tributes!

Chip didn't feel he had enough energy to act like the psychopath he always did, and so he stood in the shadows, where nobody could see him. The others ate and drank and made merry while the tributes were getting prepped for the chariot parade.

His eyes followed Anya as she talked with Sasha in a corner. The man had a glass of wine in his hand, no surprise there, but Chip wondered what they were talking so excitedly about. It might be about the rebellion, because despite in his already drunken state, Sasha seemed to be alert.

Chip still thought it was a very bad move on Anya's part to join the revolution. Sure, she could have done something passive, but what she had decided to do was risky, too risky.

"I don't want to live in a country where I and my fellow countrymen will always be treated as second class citizens."

Those had been her words when she had tried to explain the situation to him. However, Chip had not missed the gleam in her eyes, as if there were ulterior motives to her decision. For the first time in his life, he did not want to support her, even if she was his only friend. No, Lila counted as a friend too, but she was ten and naïve. Plus, she was not his partner in all his scams. That accounted for something.

He was very confused about his own two tributes. He knew Fancy's weird behaviour was his own fault; it was as if the girl had thought that it would work for her too. And she was trained, he knew it the moment she had him down on the train. Justin was much more… forgettable. Which was a very good thing. At bloodbath, the strongest were the ones who were attacked. Justin could just blend in and escape whereas Fancy would attract attention. But if he was being honest with himself, he knew Fancy had a better chance. Justin just didn't seem to take his hints.

His skin crawled when he recalled how close the girl had been on the train…

Before he had to go through the embarrassment of remembering everything again, especially Justin's reaction, he saw something that was both funny and not-so-funny.

Matthew Hayes had interrupted Sasha and Anya. The man looked flustered as the Head Gamemaker towered over him, and he said something to him that seemed to wipe out Sasha's smile. Anya looked horrified too, and started speaking rapidly with Hayes, as if arguing in Sasha's case. Chip frowned. There was something wrong, and whatever it was he was not going to let Anya get on Hayes' bad side. Nobody knew Matthew as well as Charles did.

And, with a psychopathic smile, he set off towards the little group.

"…I'm married!" Sasha said in a hushed whisper, "I-I can't do it! please don't-!"

"I know," Hayes said, and his voice sounded really distressed, "But Snow suspects you of treachery Sasha and he thinks that, uh, if you were given another…job, you'll understand that treachery isn't an option."

Charles stopped in his way. Sasha looked ready to break down and cry right now. And, strangely enough, Matthew squeezed his shoulder gently as if to provide him comfort.

"He's not going to do that," Anya said, with a tone of finality, "Snow speaks and thinks nonsense. I'm not going to have my friend go through _that._ "

"You can't do anything about it."

"Actually," Anya said with a smile, "I can. Thank you Matthew, for letting us know beforehand. There is something we can do."

"I wonder," Chip said, startling everyone there, "Why you let them know what you did beforehand, Matthew."

"It's simple," Matthew said genuinely, "I put so much time and energy into making this game so that we have a victor. A victor who won a Game designed by me. I don't want them to be used like toys. You victors are stars, because if you weren't you wouldn't have won. But then this idiot comes along and says that so-and-so has to do this for us, and that for us. It's annoying. It's like a personal insult."

"I knew it," Chip said with a gleeful smile, "Aww, Matty Haysey loves us soooo much!"

Matthew rolled his eyes and then gave a concerned look to Sasha, who had sunk in his chair, a tear trickling down his eye. He nodded at Anya and then left, without sparing Chip a glance.

"Don't worry Sasha," Anya said soothingly. She shot Chip a meaningful look. The boy pursed his lips and looked down at the man from Five, who was just staring into space right now, horrified at the thought of what he was about to become. If he refused… if he refused…

"Don't worry," Anya said again, "Leave it to me to prove his suspicions wrong. Sasha, just do as I say, and nobody will be using you."

Sasha looked at her uncertainly. Chip glared at her. What was she thinking of? It was going to be risky and he knew what she would say next.

"Chip, I need your help to sort this out."

 _I don't want to help._

That's what Chip wanted to tell her. However, he just nodded, devoid of any emotion or thought other than the fact that he couldn't refuse her. Ever.

Anya smiled at him and then patted Sasha's back, who seemed to be saying thank you through his eyes even as his voice failed him.

Bit Chip knew better. There had to be a motive behind it that Anya was so willing to help Sasha that she was ready to face Snow himself. That was foolish if she was doing it only for the sake of right and wrong.

Their eyes met, and Charles knew instantly that it was _not_ about right or wrong. He smiled at his friend, his eyes having no mirth, no fear and no pity. But the curve of his lips were enough to let Anya know that he was there for her, especially since this was going to be like one of his own scams…

"The tributes are ready!"

Sasha stood up shakily as he heard that. Chip nodded; it was time he met Justin and Fancy. He hoped the girl was not wearing the cat costume again. If she was then he would just blend into the shadows again so that nobody could see him.

Together, they set off for the tribute parade.

* * *

 **Well, this and the chariot rides were going to be the same chapter, but then I realised that I had to think about costumes a bit because my mind is blank. XD So this is all that came out. Plus, we just see how cheap Snow is. Like, I can't even type or read what he's doing, so I hope you caught the hint. If you didn't... I envy you. I used this to bring out Anya's game as well. She is doing all this for a reason.**

 **Anyway, we heard from Charles again. Ah, two years ago the same boy had been getting prepped for his Games but now he wants to slip away because someone else is using the same strategy as him. *sigh* The world is so weird...**

 **Let me know your thoughts on this chapter. Hoping to get out chariot rides soon.**

 **Have a good day!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chariot Rides**

* * *

 **Gretchen Golden (18) D1F**

This costume was a… mess.

I didn't want to say that, it would be quite rude, but that was the fact. And King looked even more creepy, if that was possible. They had made weird golden tattoos all over his body with some removable ink. His hair had been spiked up and dyed golden at the tips of the spikes.

They had done the tattoos on me too.

It was innovative, yes. But they could at least keep the tattoos symmetrical and make something that represented all the luxuries our district produced. Instead, they painted minotaur on King and fairies on me. And flowers. Many, many flowers. And then they had given me the shortest skirt they could find, with hideously large boots that were pink, and a shawl to cover myself. I just hoped the shawl wouldn't slip; I didn't want to embarrass myself on national television.

I saw the other tributes in their really cool outfits. The Two's were dressed like Peacekeepers, but maybe it was the material of the cloth, or the fact that that their uniforms were black instead of white, and that they didn't have their helmets and held something in the likeness of a rifle, but they managed to pull off their look very well. Their costumes shone every other minute like black diamonds, which created a really good visual appeal. I sighed. Why didn't we have good stylists like them?

If only mum had been assigned our District…

She was a great stylist. A person like her wouldn't have designed such a weird costume, and she would definitely not give her daughter a shawl to save her the embarrassment. It would never have come to this.

"Hey!"

I looked up and saw the boy from Four. He grinned at me and raised his hand in greeting. I smiled back and waved. In a second he was right next to her.

"Hi!" he said, "Sagittarius here."

"Hi!" I with a smile, shaking his hand, "Gretchen."

"Nice name," he said warmly, "And you're looking absolutely gorgeous."

I didn't know whether he was teasing me or genuinely praising me. I mean, my dress could have looked attractive to somebody, if not me.

"Thanks. You're looking amazing too."

He was. District Four, for some reason, _always_ had the best costume. It was never embarrassing anyway. Sagittarius was wearing a long, royal blue gown, and a crown of pearls. When he moved, his gown, which was designed for a man in case anyone wondered why he was wearing a _gown_ , seemed to sparkle. But not in that overly flashy way. And the trident in his hand, although not real, looked very real. He seemed to give the impression of an underwater king or something… except for his childish face, and there was nothing he could do about that.

I saw Mirabel in the distance, dressed similarly as Sagittarius, just her gown looked more feminine and she had a tiara instead of a crown. She didn't have a weapon; instead she wore long, elbow-length white gloves, that just went with her attire.

District Four always got the better end…

"Your stylist has done some amazing job," I said.

"Well," he replied, "Mira isn't that happy about it. The makeup is annoying her. I wasn't very happy about it either. I mean, which man wears makeup?"

I laughed at that. For some reason I always found it funny that a guy should think that they didn't need makeup and it was for girls to do. He seemed to realise why I was laughing and joined in.

"The Threes are looking… the way they always do."

I followed his gaze and saw that it was true. Both the tributes had been dressed in grey suits with some kind of coding flashing on their chests and they both wore round glasses. It was almost laughable, the glasses, because they were too big for the size of their faces.

"Damn," I said and laughed again.

"District One, please come up here."

I told Sagittarius I'd talk to him later and then joined King by the chariot. I was feeling ecstatic now, and as the chariot started forward, the cheering crowds made my heart truly happy.

* * *

 **Justin Auben (17) D8M**

One thing I could say was that I didn't like getting prepped.

Sure, it was done only to make me look good, but honestly, it was _so_ embarrassing. Ad shameful. I wanted to forget the prep team who were staring at me earlier…

The costume, I could say, was fine. Not very elegant, but okay. It was a simple shirt and pants, with patterns woven on them with really glittery threads. It wasn't anything special, and as I said, it was simple, but nothing like this simple embroidery had ever been seen in the games before. So the people were either going to love us or hate us. Fancy had the same kind of clothes, hers was a dress, but she had insisted to keep the…tail. And ears. And she was sitting aside, licking her paws, I mean hands.

What the heck did I do to deserve such a weird person as my District Partner?

I stood leaning against the wall, observing the other tributes. District two was lining up for the ride now. The predecessors had received much cheers and love, and I was certain that they were going to too.

I saw District Five, dressed as power plant workers. Just like always. They were wearing helmets with lights on them, and their clothes were a dirty orange in colour. District Five was sure to be greeted by boos instead of cheers.

Then there was District Seven, who were standing nearest to me. The girl looked at the costumes in awe while the boy just stood there, shaking his head. He might have come across as depressed, but he wasn't. It was more as if he had accepted the fact that he was going to die.

I honestly didn't like that approach.

I mean, I understood being scared. Unable to cause harm. But accepting death? No way. Sure, he was a competitor, and the more he and the others would be scared, the better it would be for me. But it just didn't seem right that they had given up already.

"I thought only the careers will get good costumes," I heard the girl say, "But ours are good too."

That was true. She was wearing a green skirt, on which all the designs had been made with colourful flowers. They moved around in something like a spiral. Her top was made of leaves, or what looked like leaves. I was sure they were not leaves. She wouldn't have looked so happy if it was. The boy's clothes were the same, except his pants had no flowers. Instead he had something like a belt that resembled laurels, and it looked pretty cool.

And then I saw District Six. There was that guy with two heads, or as Charles had later said- Conjoined twins. I wondered how bad it would have been for them back home. Maybe there had been attempts of experiments and murder too. Both the guys and the girl were dressed like the pilots of the hovercrafts, only their clothes' fabric was very flashy. I didn't remember seeing a pilot getup before, so although it wasn't that great, it was different.

The twins looked so uncomfortable in their clothes.

My shoulders slumped. What did we do to deserve this? None of us should be here. None of us! As I looked at the different tributes, some gossiping, some just standing, some almost crying, even the confident careers- I felt my blood boil. The Capitol had no right to do this to us. Absolutely no right. We were reduced to be their slaves, and yet this country was called 'democratic'. Snow had to be the worst person on earth. Ever.

Oh, if only I could win and show them their place…

* * *

 **Deena Carters (13) D5F**

District Twelve looked stunning this year.

Ashleigh was in a tuxedo, and Erin wore a simple gown. Both their clothes seemed to have been made from coal dust. And they moved like it when the two tributes moved. It was really pretty.

I wish I could say the same for our costumes.

The helmet was heavy in my head. Talon had not complained once and neither did I. But… had they given up on us? Why didn't they at least try to make us look as interesting as these others? Well, it wasn't that bad, maybe.

It had been embarrassing to be prepped.

They had looked at me and giggled and I was already feeling so uncomfortable. I wanted to tell them to not laugh, but when I spoke it was more of a stutter than the confident voice I had hoped for, and they had laughed even harder. It was very embarrassing.

The two from Nine were talking about something excitedly. They didn't look all that glamourous next to all these eye-catchers, but they didn't seem to mind it. the girl had her hair pleated with wheat, or what looked like wheat. Her dress was long, reaching her ankles, husky brown in colour. The guy wore a similar suit, but he wore a hat instead, which seemed to have been made from wheat too, but it didn't look bad.

Okay, their costumes looked quite good.

Better than Ten at least. They were both dressed as milkmen. Milkmen. Even the girl had been dressed like a milkman. It looked really weird on her. Their clothes were very white, and they looked really rich for being milkmen, but that's what they were supposed to be. I was glad that my costume didn't look like that at least. I mean, mine could have still passed like regular clothing at least, for the occasion it was designed that is. Theirs… not so much.

And then there was Eleven. Eleven looked fine, or as fine as they could. Both their clothes were bright red, and they had some really heavy makeup on, especially because their cheeks were so red. They both had baskets in their hands, filled with cherries, and it was almost funny how they stood with those awkwardly.

"Hey," Talon said, "It's our turn now."

I nodded and we both went towards our chariot. He leapt and got on and then offered me his hand to help me up.

I was about to take it, but knowing me, I could easily manage to trip while climbing the chariot if I took help. And that was not an option.

"Thanks, but it's- it's alright," I said shyly and then helped myself up. Talon looked a little put off, but I smiled at him, hoping he would understand that I had nothing against him. I could tell him that, but making small talk was always such a hard thing to do. I was glad when he smiled back.

"Guys, let's give it for the tributes from Five, Deena Carters and Talon Darqet!"

There it was. The ride. The chariot started and I reached out for his hand when I felt I would fall. He didn't complain, because he was himself white with fear. I was trembling now. There would be so many people. So. Many. People. What was I supposed to do?

The loud cheers and boos hit me simultaneously. There were people cheering madly for us, calling out my name. Talon waved at them, smiling. I couldn't do it though. I just couldn't. I didn't have it in me to wave at random people and at the moment I was just trying to prevent myself from falling off.

I was just waiting for it to get over.

* * *

 **All this time, and** ** _that's_** **what I come up with. The costumes were hideous. But yeah, who cares? Never really mattered to me. Anyway, let me know your thoughts on this chapter.**

 **Have a good day!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Training Day 1**

* * *

 **Raylic Chevalier (16) D6M**

It was hard to ignore the stares that were coming our way. Roslin did a better job at hiding his contempt and anger. I felt like breaking down and crying, to tell everyone that we were not freaks, we were not monsters. I wanted everyone to believe us, but that didn't seem likely now.

Trying to ignore the laughter and pointing from a few of the Careers, we started checking out the weaponry. Something simple and nice.

"A knife?" Roslin asked but we both knew the answer.

Next was a spear, and the sight of it was enough for me to know that I couldn't use it. It was too big, and required too much strength. It was better than a javelin but I still didn't think it would suit us.

"Let's just take a rod," Roslin grumbled when I told him that spear was not an option.

"A rod? Well, that's a good idea! Let's try a rod, or a club!"

He looked at me in exasperation but I met his gaze steadily. We stared each other down for what felt like hours and he sighed.

"Fine," he said, "You win."

I grinned at him and we ran towards a nearby station, where there were clubs of all sizes. They were heavy and blunt, something we could use. Roslin picked it up and swung it hard. A little too hard.

My arms felt as if somebody was trying to tear them apart. The club went flying out of our hands, narrowly missed a boy who was trying to use the knife, and fell on the floor with a thud. I gulped. We already stood out too much but now…

"Hey!" the boy said angrily, "What's the problem?"!

"I-I'm sorry," I said, "It wasn't intentional."

He glared at us.

"You tried to kill me."

"We didn't," Roslin said heatedly, "It was an accident."

"An accident that would have smashed my skull to bits before we even get to the arena?"

"Look, we apologised already. What the hell do you want now? I told you it was an accident."

"Accident my foot!"

I watched helplessly as the boy and my brother argued there. It had not risen to screaming and yelling and swearing yet, but I knew it was bound to come. I didn't want it to. Confrontation was not my way.

I knew Roslin was about to say something when the boy sighed.

"Fine," he said, "Just don't do that again."

With that he went over to the fallen club, picked it up, and handed it to us. Without a word he returned to his knives and started weighing them in his hands.

"Who is he?" I asked softly.

"The guy from Eight," Roslin replied, looking at the '8' written on his shirt. I was glad the guy had not pushed the matter too far. But the damage was done. People were staring at us. Again.

"We need to watch out for those freaks," I heard someone say, "Before they try to kill all of us before we even get to the arena."

I shut my eyes at that. It wasn't right. We had dropped the club because it was too heavy. We weren't freaks. We weren't. I knew Roslin was angry right now. He wouldn't want to search for allies, which we were going to do later. But we needed allies right now.

What were we supposed to do?

* * *

 **Nine Price (15) D3F**

Everyone present in the room were staring at the boys from Six. The argument was getting louder now but suddenly Justin shrugged it off and returned their club to them. Even after that though, many people continued to stare.

Realising I was doing so too, I turned away from them and got back to running. It was good that they had tracks here. Running was an outlet for me at this difficult time. As I raced past the fire-building station, I tried to wrap my mind around the events happening. It still felt strange that I was Reaped. Why did it have to happen to me? poverty was bad enough, but at least I knew I would live. Now, now…

"AARGH!"

The people who had been staring at the Chevaliers raised their brows at me. The arrogant careers, the stupid volunteers, they all stared. I didn't care, I didn't give a damn. These people had volunteered to a death match. They were psychos and I didn't care what such madmen thought of me. Giving them all a piercing glare to tell them to mind their own business, I took to the tracks again. The girl from Four laughed.

"She's actually practicing to run!" she laughed, "I can't believe it!"

I ignored them. It was no secret that the Careers provoked regular tributes to find out their weaknesses. I couldn't let my emotions get the better of me. Ignoring them I ran. After all, strong legs were essential for a quick escape.

However, taking Isaac's advice, I decided to try my hand at a few weapons too. Wiping the sweat off my face, I dragged myself to the archery station. There was something about archery that was mildly attractive. Maybe it was the fact that it alone enabled us to take down the enemy from afar. I didn't know.

However, archery wasn't as easy or amusing when I tried it. For some reason none of the arrows even hit the board let alone the main target. The bow was irritating me. Why couldn't something go right for once? I needed to learn how to use it. Or some other weapon. But I didn't think I wss good enough to use a sword. Weapons like that were too heavy.

"Aargh!" I cried out in frustration just as the trainer stopped speaking. Was no weapon going to be any good?!

"That's not how you use a bow, sweetie," a sickly sweet voice drifted to my ears. I knew who it was but it was honestly very hard to control myself now. The Careers had already irritated me beyond anything. I turned towards Mirabel and shot. The arrow flew past her ear, drawing just a single drop of blood. One single drop of blood.

"I am sorry, sweetie," I said sweetly, "I don't know how to use this well. Not meant for you."

She looked ready to swallow me in one gulp but I just smiled and got back to practice. Maybe I did have a flair in archery after all.

* * *

 **Mirabel "Mira" Grant (17) D4F**

The girl turned on her heels and started practicing archery on the set targets. She was doing well, no doubt, and that was the second reason I had to take her out in the bloodbath. She was not strong by any means but what she had done... Nobody could do that to me. How dare she shoot her arrow so close to my ear?!

"Don't worry," Gretchen said. Her eyes were narrowed at Nine. "You can get back at her in the arena."

I nodded. She was right of course. I would get her in the bloodbath, maybe finish her off with her own arrow.

"Maybe you shouldn't concern yourself with little twerps," King said in that weird way of his; soft and slow, as if he found something ausing you didn't. In all honesty, he gave me the creeps. With his weird appearance and an even weirder personality I would be surprised if someone was not creeped out. Appalachia managed to fit that criteria but she was the only one. But King was a valuable ally and so he had to stick around. For a while.

"I think we should observe other tributes and see if anyone can be valuable to us," Raze suggested.

"I have the girl from Nine in mind," Appalachia said, "She looks strong."

"She is strong," Sage agreed, "But the thing is that she is too strong for an Outer."

There was a lot of truth on his statement. As I saw Clarke try her hand at the sickle section, I knew she was a danger. She worked a little too good for someone from such a poor place and I didn't like that she had so much muscle.

"Come on," Gretchen said, "I will ask her. You all stay here."

I was about to retort but decided against it. It would be no use and maybe Clarke would feel better if only one of us talked to her anyway. Gretchen had a friendly personality so she had a better chance at convincing her.

She walked towards the girl confidently, a slight smile on her face. Clarke looked up at her, her expression guarded. Gretchen started talking as we watched. Clarke nodded a few times and when Gretchen stopped, she said a few quick words and the two shook hands. Gretchen came back to us, a triumphant smile on her face.

"Well?" Raze asked.

"She is in," Gretchen replied, "She will join us in a while."

I smirked. Clarke would be a tough ally and a valuable addition to the team. I only hoped that she wouldn't get the better of us.

* * *

 **Ryder Venison (16) D10M**

There were so many weapons here. Rows of swords, machetes, javelins, spears and so many weapons one would have never even heard of. Then tgere was the sheer size of the room. It was so huge, so spaced out that a few of the houses back in Ten would fit in there. Twenty four of us occupied the entire space. There were trubutes who were gathered at a station that offered courses on plants.

Walking smartly across the marble floor, I finally came to a halt at the most deserted station. Nobody would want to waste their time using whips. It was not a popular choice but perdonally I felt that a whip was quite effective as a weapon. After all, cows yeilded to it. Humans would too.

I arranged five dummies in a circle and then lashed at them with my whip, turning it around so that it wrapped itself around the neck of one of them and then beheaded it. I sighed. Hopefully, I wouldn't have to do something that horrible to anyone. Or that somebody else would do that to me. I shuddered slightly as I thought of that.

"Excuse me?"

I turned around to see the boy from Seven standing in front of me. He looked calm for someone in this situation. Almost as if he knew what would happen.

"Yes?" I asked, lowering the whip.

"You have really good skills," he said, "Will you like to be my ally?"

"Why should I?" I asked him, not bothering to hide my suspicions. Why should I? This guy just walked out if the blue and asked me to an alliance.

"You have good skills," he replied calmly, "You were calm during your Reapings. You are holding yourself together well. That is a valuable quality in an ally."

"But what do you have to offer?"

"I am decent with a hatchet," he replied, "And I will not betray you. I already know I am going to die."

I was taken aback by the statement. How could he say that without any feeling? How could he give up?

"And you are still trying...?"

"Yes. For my dead siblings."

We looked at each other for a while. I smiled at him.

"Fine," he said, "An alliance it is."

We shook hands, his eyes still calm, his face unsmiling. It was okay.

"You should smile more," I said as I went back to whipping the dummies.

"I have never had any reason to."

I gave him a sideways smile as he nodded and walked away. It was good to have an ally. He seemed like a decent person.

I just hoped I hadn't made a mistake though. My life was on the line.

* * *

 **Talon Darqet (15) D5M**

Today was really tiring. I had tried my hands at so many stations but nothing seemed to work. I could not find a single ally. My future seemed to be truly bleak.

I was up in my room now, alone, staring at the ceiling. There was nothing I could work with. Honestly, I didn't know what to do.

"It's okay," I told myself in an uncertain way, "Two days are left still. I can definitely find somebody to ally with."

"Come on," I argued, "Who are you trying to fool? Nobody will want to work with you."

Then I remembered that arguing with myself aloud wasn't a very sane thing to do so I shut up. But the worry was eating me up. I longed for my friend, the forest, the bugs. I would be happy to see a cockroach right about now. But this place was too clean. Too... artificial. Nothing about this place made me feel better.

There was a knock on the door. Thinking it to be the escort, I turned on my side on the bed. I wasn't in the mood to talk to her right now and listen to how great the Capitol was. But when her high pitched voice didn't drift in from the crack under the door and the knocking didn't sound as if it was a really excitable person, I pulled myself to my feet with a groan. Dragging myself to the door I wondered who it was.

I opened the door. To my surprise, my mentor stood in front of me. His smile was gone and it seemed as if he had aged ten years overnight. I didn't like the way he was leaning against the doorway either. The behaviour was not suitable for a twenty something year old.

"Sasha?" I asked, "What happened?"

"We need to talk."

And with that he entered the room and sat down at the edge of my bed.

"Talon," he said gravely, "I- do you have any allies?"

"No," he replied miserably. I knew he would scold me now and so I braced myself for it.

"It's alright. You have time."

Silence.

I was sure that was not what he had in mind. He seemed to be thinking something, and judging from his expression it wasn't good.

"You really want to win, don't you?"

"Of course I do," I replied defensively. What kind of a question was that? Did he think I wasn't trying?!

"You are beautiful, Talon," he continued, "The kind of victor they'd want."

"Really?" I asked in surprise. I didn't think I could win. But to actually hear that I could be popular? It was too much. I smiled. Maybe I had a chance.

"Yeah," he replied, "You are beautiful, as I said. Young and childish. You have an innocence..."

His voice cracked at the word. I knit my brows together. He had been like a friend to me till now. I didn't like that his voice was so weak. Gently squeezing his shoulder, I smiled at him which he returned.

"Tomorrow we will work on a few weapons," he said, "You stand a chance, Talon. You have to try even harder. Then we will work on an angle for you."

He stood up to leave. I followed him.

"See you next morning."

"Wait!" I said.

He stopped and looked at me even ad I threw my arms around him. He hesitated for a second then hugged me back.

"You can do it," he said, "You can."

And then he pressed his forehead against mine and we just stood like that for what felt like only a few seconds but I knew it was longer than that.

"Do your best. Good night."

"Good night," I said as he left the room. I smiled as the door shut softly. Sasha had faith in me. My mentor had not given up on me. He was trying and so would I.

I was going to give it my best.

* * *

 **I know this is late. I was out of town. Wrote this thing on the phone so it may not be that good. Or good at all. I will try to speed things up now. Thanks for reading.**

 **Have a good day!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Training Day 2**

* * *

 **Ashleigh Micas (18) D12M**

"Hold out your arm at this angle," the trainer instructed as he pulled at my hand. I didn't like the contact but there was no reason to say anything so I stayed silent and pulled back my arm. Taking a close aim, glaring at the small red dot, I let the knife fly in an arc, moving through the sky effortlessly, and landing right before the target, on the floor.

"Well..." the trainer said as he stared at the knife on the floor. The sixteenth knife. No, I wasn't too bad with a knife but taking aims was hard and I had a knack of missing targets.

"Do you...?"

"No," I said. What was the point of trying it again? This wasn't going to work. I had tried knives yesterday, and they were working quite well. But I couldn't use them as a distance weapon, and I couldn't try archery and anything of that sort. I would have to work with some other weapon instead, to use it. Knives had to be the backup.

With a nod at the trainer, I left the station. Tributes all around me were training hard. I spotted Erin by the berries section, and having no clear destination in mind, I joined her.

"Hey."

She nodded to acknowledge my presence and then started reading through a book. There were multiple articles about different berries, ways of recognising them. She was reading about edible berries.

What surprised me was that she was reading. Yesterday, the mentor of Seven, who was also a Games trainer, had been here, telling tributes how to recognise different berries. I hadn't liked that their mentor had been allowed to do that, or that Seven had a trainer as their mentor, but since their only victors were too old to do the job, I guess it was the only way. Still, he shouldn't have been allowed in here to train.

However, today, having no trainer available at this station, and with three tributes here, it felt weird. I saw the girl from Three, Nine I think her name was, looking around helplessly. She had a book in her hands too, but it seemed it was too complicated for her to understand. Looking at it, I thought it would have been complicated for me too, and I honestly loved reading.

"Have you seen the trainer?" she asked.

"No," I replied as I looked up from the book Erin was reading.

"Can you help me out?"

I was surprised by the fact that she asked for help. As far as i remembered, she had appeared to be quite openly bitter about the whole thing, not interacting with anyone. So seeing the girl without a frown on her face, I simply nodded. Erin pursed her lips at that; maybe she was thinking that I would invite Nine to the alliance. I had no plan of doing that, but it wouldn't hurt to have somewhat good relation with my fellow tributes. We may have to make a truce in the arena. Nothing could be left to chance.

"Let's start with the edible plants," I said. I had some good knowledge about those and in Erin's book I saw some of the familiar plants I had read up on.

"Okay," she said and moved over to me.

And then I started telling her about dewberries. Dewberries resembled blackberries quite a bit. Erin looked up too when I started talking, and it felt weird, as if I was a lecturer or something.

All three of us took seats and discussed about berries even further.

* * *

 **Judah Pocks (16) D10F**

I still didn't know why there were so many people at the knives. Okay, I was one of them but honestly, I had first tried my hand at poisons and then proceeded to here. Poisons were easy to brew. There were venomous berries, and then there were liquids resembling potions that were even more toxic. Then there were flowers that smelled amazing, but poisoned people slowly. Being in their presence constantly would kill anyone.

It felt... weird that I was planning murder. Terrible yes, but more strange. Like, it was funny how I got involved in the cult and now this. Ah, nothing to be done now. I had to give my best. there was only one life after all.

"Hey!"

I looked back to see the boy from Nine, a big smile plastered on his face. I smiled back.

"Hello."

"I saw you back at the plants station. You took the test and you got a good score. And you're awesome with a knife too!"

"Thanks so much."

I knew where this was going. Well, I had to look for allies, but Durain (that was his name...?) didn't seem to be the ideal person for the job. There was a cunning in his eyes. Something that told me he would ditch me the first chance he got. But I was alone now, and it didn't seem as if I would be getting many allies. Yeah, the little boy from Eleven had approached me earlier, and I told him I would think about it, but even if I included him, I didn't really have much.

"I was wondering if you would-"

"Okay," I replied, "But what can you do?"

"I'm decent with a knife too," he said and laughed and I sighed. _Another_ person with a knife.

"And?"

"I know how to survive," he said, his face completely serious this time. I searched it for a second then nodded.

"Fine. Allies we are then. I'm Judah."

He grabbed my hand to shake it.

"Durain."

"Well Durain, come, I have to talk to Lennon."

"Lennon?" he asked in surprise.

I smirked inwardly. Let's see how nice he is when we would take in a comparatively weaker tribute. Plus, it wasn't in my nature to refuse. I wanted to please everyone, even if I didn't know them too well. Lennon was young, and it seemed really heartless to just say no to him. Plus he wouldn't be much trouble, would he?

"O-okay," he said, a little less enthusiastically.

"Brilliant! We'll make a good team. Come on now."

I put back the knife I was holding in its place and then set off for the knot station, the place where I had spotted Lennon earlier. He was still there, and had managed to make a really good and strong knot.

"Hey Lennon," I greeted.

"Hi!" he said. His hopeful eyes looked at me. How could I say no to such an adorable child? And he wasn't that bad either.

"Do you still want to join the alliance?"

"Yeah!" he replied, "I want to, Judah."

"Well then, welcome to the team. This is Durain and he is our other ally."

"You-you really want me?" Lennon asked, as if he couldn't believe it. Poor boy.

"Yep."

"Thank you so much! It means a lot! This is so cool, I got allies!"

I ruffled his hair as he grinned at me, looking at me with those adorable eyes.

"Train well, kid," Durain said with a smile. It wasn't much visible, but I was sure it was very fake. Ah, didn't matter.

In the end, I would be the one walking out of this death match alive. Only me.

* * *

 **Sel Raze (17) D2M**

"I wonder how they'll squeal when we'll kill them," Gretchen said as she sipped her orange juice.

"Like little pigs," Appalachia replied. Her eyes gleamed whenever she talked about the Games in a way that was... different. It was as if she would enjoy it so much, that killing others was her only goal in life. The thought of killing younger tributes made her happy; it was visible from her smirk whenever she laid an eye on the little ones. I wanted to bring glory to Two, and if I wouldn't succeed, I wanted her to. But she creeped me out more than even King, which was saying something.

Gretchen laughed.

"Those puny things wouldn't last a second against our skills. We'll put on a good show."

"We're far better," Mira said, "It'll be a piece of cake to beat these insignificant people."

Wow, that was harsh. These people bragged too much. I simply disliked braggers. They were always so big headed, and sadly, most of the alliance members were big-headed.

"We'll end it quick," Sage muttered softly, so softly in fact that nobody else even heard him. It may be because they were busy laughing but I liked this quality of his. He didn't want to drag it out. Not like these people.

"We can just rip off their heads," King said and did a gesture, a subtle one but he looked so enthusiastic that I wanted to move away from him. What was with the careers this year?

"Won't Clarke join us?" Sage asked.

"She's training," King replied.

"But it's lunch time," Mira said, "She needs to eat."

"She can decide that," I said, "Maybe she doesn't want to take a chance."

"She doesn't have to worry," Gretchen said, "We'll have her back in the arena."

Mirabel laughed. Gretchen's statement wasn't as direct as it appeared to be. Maybe I was paranoid, but I thought that Gretchen didn't really mean well by that. Not that it mattered to me. A decrease in competition was always welcome.

"Here she comes," Appalachia muttered.

I looked up to see Clarke coming towards us, all drenched in sweat and an angry expression on her face.

"What happened?" Sage asked.

"I'll kill her!" Clarke said in exasperation and sat own next to Mirabel, "I will seriously kill her!"

"Who?" I asked.

"That- that cat!" she said and then groaned, "She's not even a real cat!"

"She's mad," King said, "And so she's dangerous."

"Just like you," Gretchen whispered but fortunately for her, he didn't seem to hear her.

"What did she do?" Mira asked.

"I was training, and I was trying a club this time," Clarke said, "And then this girl pounced on me and the club almost took off my head and then she was purring nicely next to me. And when I asked her why she did it she just said 'meow' again and again."

"That isn't too bad," Sage said.

"That's not all," Clarke continued angrily, "When I was just running along the tracks, she threw stones in my path and I slipped and she was again _purring!_ "

We exchanged looks. All the others seemed to be thinking the same thing: why were they not present to witness it?

"Get your revenge in the arena," Gretchen said kindly, "No need to be bothered now, dear."

"Yeah," Sage said, "Just wipe her out then."

"I will," Clarke replied sourly, "If she doesn't bounce out of the way that is."

Appalachia was about to say something, but the moment was lost as a loud bang echoed across the lunch room.

* * *

 **Fancy "Kitty" Viridian (15) D8F**

"Wheee!"

"Stop Kitty! STOP!"

"Meow!"

Poor Justin. He looked ready to pass out from embarrassment as I dug my hand in the pudding and licked it off. I was a cat, after all, so it was only better if I ate like one. He had no reason to be embarrassed though. However, looking at his red face... it was funny. People were looking at me from their tables. The volunteers serving our food came running over.

"What is this?!" they cried, "Stop it!"

"MEOW!"

"Ugh!" one of them said and I smashed a plate, 'accidentally' of course, I had no control over my tail, an I looked up at the big men with puppy dog eyes (even though I was a kitten).

"Enough!" another one said, "How do we stop this?!"

"Call her mentor," another suggested as he looked at me in disgust.

"He will just join her at this," Justin said. I purred at him and nodded wisely. These people agreed too, and looked around helplessly. Inwardly, I was glad they weren't calling Charles.

"Don't attract attention to yourself," he had said the day before yesterday.

Trying to follow his advice, I had remained quiet yesterday, and in all honesty it had taken a good amount of self-control to do so. Not attracting attention was hard for me, and so was to keep still. I could bear it no longer today and so I jumped on that tough girl from Nine. Her expressions had been priceless!

The girl from Eleven arrived there and stared down at me as I rolled on the floor, food dripping from my chin (which I honestly loathed, but it was necessary) and she grabbed my hands and pulled me to my feet rather forcefully. I didn't like it and I growled at her in a very un-cat like manner. She smirked.

"Go clean yourself."

"Naw!" I said, "This fun!"

"You forgot an 'is'," Illea, the girl from Six, pointed out. She gulped when I turned to glare at her but then I grinned.

"No is!"

"Leave her be," Winifred said in exasperation.

"We can't!" one of the men said, "She's eaten and messed up all the food!"

"We'll have to cook again!" another groaned.

I wanted to laugh at that. Ah yes, it was nice to make them work like that. Let them be hassled for a change.

"You have left nothing untouched?" the girl asked. I had to admit it; she was annoying me. She was acting as if she was all superior. Missy didn't know that she was talking to the future victor. Not that she would live to see it.

"Yep!" I said and then meowed. The tributes backed away from me, looking at each other, temporarily forgetting that they were here to kill each other. I was the problem right now. It was fun!

"I think we should talk to Charles about her behaviour," one of the men suggested.

"Meow!" I purred excitedly, although I hoped they wouldn't call him. He ruined all the fun. And he had no right to tell me this strategy was wrong because he himself did the same thing. If it worked for him, why wouldn't it work for me?

"Leave her be," Illea echoed Winifred's words, "It's no use."

And with that she walked away.

I narrowed my eyes. This girl was blatantly ignoring me? _Me?_ The nerve! I would show her! Then they would all know not to mess with me!

"Hey!"

I looked up to see Maverick, holding a small ball in his hand. I knew what he was about to do, and I felt really humiliated, but there was no other option. As he threw the ball at me to catch, I did just that. Catching it with my 'paw', I started playing around with it. There was a smirk on his face and I wanted to punch him now. He knew I would try to catch the ball to keep up with the pretense. He wanted to humiliate me. Everybody present was laughing, even the careers were giggling at their table. No no no no no!

"Well guys, get back to work," one of the men said. The tributes and staff nodded alike and everyone left me there, playing with the ball. I wanted to burn every person present there alive. Especially that Maverick. Who did he think he was?!

He had better watch his back now because I was coming for him.

* * *

 **Maverick Zhao (17) D3M**

Even as she played with the ball, Fancy was giving me death glares. I felt bad for her, well sort of, she had to be pretty lonely to resort to that sort of thing. It could be a strategy but I felt that it was more of an attention-seeking problem more than anything else. I could be wrong, but I hoped not.

As I departed from the said place and sat down in my lonely corner, away from the prying eyes of my fellow tributes, I stared at the fruits in front of me. These were all that Kitty hadn't spoilt. I wished there was more but at least it wasn't as bad as the boy from Eight. Justin had literally nothing to eat right now.

"Hey," I called out to him as he passed by gloomily, "Want a bite?"

"Huh?" he stopped and looked at me. His face was guarded, as if trying to find out why I was being friendly to him. He had no need to be that way. I truly felt bad for him because there was just no food left for him.

"Okay," he said and sat down in front of me, "Thanks."

"Welcome."

We dug in, and once we had started, we couldn't stop. For some time, I didn't know how many minutes it was, we just ate, not speaking a word.

"So, uh, do you have an alliance?" he asked.

"No," I replied, "I haven't really tried."

"Then you're going solo?" he asked. Why didn't he just ask me whether he wanted to be an ally or not? From his talk it was quite understandable that he wanted to, but I guess he wanted me to suggest it. He could be awkward, I didn't know. I could be awkward at times too, not that anyone could tell of course.

"As of now, yes," I replied. He looked a little upset with my reply and I smiled at him, toying with him.

"But I am open to allies."

Now it was his turn to grin widely as he looked at me.

"I don't have allies either," he said, "We could team up."

"Totally," I replied, "But first, what skills have you acquired?"

"I can work quite well with a rope," he replied but then smirked, "Now how I use it… just wait and see in the arena."

I raised my brows. Mysterious, eh? I liked it! however, I just hoped it wouldn't be bad for me. not that I would not keep an eye on him. There was nobody one could actually trust in the arena. But for now, this would have to do.

"What about you?" he asked as he bit a banana.

"I can fence," I replied, "I'm not excellent at it but I'm decent."

He looked up in interest and surprise.

"But I never saw you fencing!" he exclaimed then gave me a sceptical look. I nodded.

"I didn't want to show it off," I replied honestly, "Makes me an easy target."

"Actually, I have been working with a sword too," he said, "And, although I'm not perfect, it isn't really that bad."

"Great! We can both fend off mutts and animals in the arena."

"As well as the tributes."

A cold silence settled over us. Neither of us was willing to talk about murder. How could we? I didn't know about him, but as a child I had been brought up to be kind, to be respectful. To love and to care. And now, everything we were taught… it was all rubbish. Now we were being told to forget what we had been taught and to suddenly become a monster. It wasn't really easy.

"It isn't going to be easy," I said softly, "Killing, I mean."

"It isn't," he agreed, the food all forgotten. Our appetite was gone. Eating now seemed such a horrible thing to do; eating and plotting murder.

"We still have to try."

"We have to."

And we would.

* * *

 **Here it is! The second training day. I hope you don't hate me for a late update, haha. Well, I am sorry still. So, what do you think of this chapter?**

 **Okay, I have a bad news. A very bad news.**

 **I will not be writing the interviews.**

 **I know, it is a very important part of the story. But I just can't write it. The first reason is that I am busy. Like very busy. Busy enough to even think about putting this on hiatus. But that would be so very unfair. Writing interviews is very time consuming, and I do horrible at it. I want to complete the story properly so that is the thing I am skipping. The second reason, well don't hate me, but I seriously hate writing interviews. Like, I really hate it. It makes me want to throw away my computer. It's not because of the characters, because I love the characters, but I dislike interviews in general.**

 **So, I am sorry about it. I really am. If time permits, I will try to add it in, but otherwise, I don't think I would be.**

 **Anyway, so that leaves two chapters until the Games, which is something to be happy about, I guess.**

 **Sorry again and i hope you all have a good day.**

 **PS: Does anyone else here likes to use British spellings? XD**


	22. Chapter 22

**Training Day Three**

* * *

 **Lyra Stafford (16) D7F**

I was tired of running on the tracks.

For some reason the trainers insisted on running and all the tributes were racing on the tracks, sweating, cursing, shaking their heads indignantly. A few of us stumbled, and a few of us fell face first. Well, I was the first to do that. I was ahead of my group, that even had a Career, and then I tripped over my shoe lace and fell on my face.

Never mind.

So now here I was, sitting on the chair, panting, downing water and looking around. I didn't know which station to go to next. There was one rock climbing one, which appealed to me. climbing trees was fun but scaling heights was something different.

Then there was the fire station, which I didn't feel like trying out. Sure, fire was important, but right now, I didn't want to do it. it wasn't…fun.

There was a girl there right now, trying to make a fire as the trainer was explaining things to her. Things that wouldn't even be useful. They gave too much detail sometimes and it was evident from the girl's face that she wasn't even listening and the only reason she hadn't walked away was that se was trying to be polite. I grinned. I could understand it so well.

The girl finally managed to start a small fire, and before the trainer could say or do anything else, she thanked him and left. As I saw her approaching, her expression became clearer. I laughed because of the relief on her face.

She grinned when she saw me laughing and then plopped down on the chair next to mine.

"Man!" she exclaimed, stretching on the chair itself, "That was _so_ boring!"

And then she yawned, after which she helped herself to a glass of water. she then sat down again.

"I could see that," I giggled as she smacked her lips in exaggeration, "You were having fun with fire."

"Too much fun," she groaned, "Ugh, what's the point of learning about the mechanism of how fires are started with flints!? Like, why do we have to study physics at a time like this?!"

"Studying is very important," I said with a straight face, making my voice sound mature. She laughed at my imitation of an adult and I grinned back at her.

"Hi!" she said finally and I couldn't help but laugh that after talking for so long, it was now one of us said something simple like 'hi'.

"Hello!"

"I'm Illea, from District Six," she said, sticking out her hand.

"Lyra from Seven," I replied as I shook her hand, "You're cool!"

"You too," Illea said, "And you're good with imitation."

Winking at her, I proceeded to sip my water. it was my fourth glass now, but I still felt thirsty.

"You have any allies?" she asked, but this time her tone was completely serious. Maybe she remembered exactly why we were here. Thinking about that made me feel sick too but it wasn't going to help anyone and so I shook my head as an answer to her question.

"Great," she said, "We can team up."

I didn't hesitate for even a second before saying, "Sure! That'll be great!"

And just like that I had found an ally. An ally I had been looking for since I had arrived here. I just had to let Julius know now; he was a little worried about me when Nikona told him that he had found an ally. I still wondered why he cared so much. Well, it was a good thing so I wasn't going to say anything.

"Great. Now let's climb some walls!"

* * *

 **Durain Haefelle (16) D9M**

Judah could be annoying, but not half as annoying as Lennon.

He was clingy.

He was whiny.

And he was a child.

I hated it. He would look at me through those puppy dog eyes of his and smile, showing his white teeth that shone brightly. It was as if he never suspected a thing. He tried to be the best at whatever he did, and that didn't ever happen, so he cried and sobbed about it and sometimes he was tough about it and shrugged it off. And then there was Judah, who would encourage him. Who listened to everything he had to say. When training she was aggressive, but when she wasn't, her behaviour was very relaxed. A calm seemed to be on her face, and often I had found her sitting very still and looking as if meditating.

The two were close.

It wasn't good for _me._

"Hey Lennon!" I said, sitting down net to the boy. He was sweaty and looked upset.

"Hi Durain," he said, trying to sound cheerful, "What's up?"

"Nothing much. You know."

"Why do you sound so sad?" he asked me in surprise. Ah, the little kid always saw the 'happy side' of me.

"No. I'm not…sad."

"Come on!" he said, "We're friends! You can tell me!"

"No, let it be," I said, "You won't like it."

"Durain, I'm an old boy," he said somewhat aggressively, "You can tell me. I am strong enough to hear anything."

I sighed. "It's- it's her. It's Judah."

His eyes widened at Judah's name. His reactions were so predictable that anybody could manipulate him. Poor child. However, now was not the time to pity him. Now was the time to use and abuse him and although it must sound cruel, there was no other way to go about it.

"Judah?"

"Yeah."

"Wh-what did she do?"

"Lennon… first promise you won't say anything to her. Whatever I tell you, it remains a secret between us."

"I promise!" he said without hesitation. Of course he would.

"She, well, how do I say this?"

"Come on!"

"She can't be trusted."

"Why? Why do you say this?!" he asked.

"She is disloyal. I heard her conversing with her mentor the other day. She is going to ditch us as soon as we are in top fifteen."

His eyes widened even more, and they started turning slightly bleak. It didn't feel nice to make him cry like that, but it had to be done. No time to feel guilty.

"She also said, in a very indirect way, that you are a cry baby."

"I'm a WHAT?!" he exclaimed, almost shouted and I shushed him.

"Come on!" I said grumpily, "You said you'll not let anyone know."

"Sorry," he said as he settled down again. But he was fuming. After all, cry-babies could never bear to be called a cry baby. How ironic.

"Don't show your anger, Lennon," I said, patting his shoulder, "We can't let her know. She'll get rid of us before we can even do a thing."

Slowly, he nodded, and I gave him a hug. There, mission accomplished. Despite doing such a horrible thing I didn't feel particularly bad.

This alliance was going to get destroyed, and I would be the only surviving one left.

* * *

 **Sagittarius "Sage" Ryans (17) D4M**

The other Careers were…ignoring me.

It was a strange thought, an earlier I told myself that I was imagining things. But today, well, they were replying to my questions but they weren't actually talking to me. For instance, this morning when I woke up, I found them here way before anyone else had come, and they were talking about something in hushed voices. When I approached them, they stopped their discussion abruptly. Even Clarke was there. Pretty much everyone other than me.

Even now, when they trained, somehow they went out of their way to make sure that I was the only one left out. I practiced on my own, trying to wield my weapons expertly. The weapons here were slightly different than the ones at the Academy in Four, so I decided to get used to them as well.

At the moment they were all training except me. I was here, next to the camouflage station. I had tried my hand at that too, and it was honestly fun. Very useful, but there was a certain risk to it. It could not be used in every situation, but it was still fun.

"Meow."

Oh no. Not her. _Please_ not her!

I decided to ignore the irritating meowing sound but knew that it was not possible to do so for long. I didn't even know her, but I could say that this girl was so mad that she could actually attack a person's throat like a cat. I had myself seen her prance like one yesterday, and I was still in wonder as to how a human could leap like that. However, my curiosity was not strong enough to make me want to tolerate her.

 _"Meow."_

"Ugh," I said, "Get lost."

She just sat on the floor, licking her 'paws' and looking at me curiously, as if trying to read me. I found it rather unsettling, so I got up to walk away but she stopped me and then purred.

"What is it, Kitty?" I asked in exasperation. I was already very put-off by my allies' behaviour; I didn't need a cat to make things worse for me.

She stepped towards me, and with the agility of a true cat, her hand shot forward. I flinched, not having expected it, and her hand brushed against my shoulder before resting at her side again. following her gaze, I looked down, only to find a spider.

A spider that had been on my shirt and I hadn't even noticed.

"Um, thanks," I said.

"Meow."

She was watching me carefully, and in a rather eerie manner, but I thought it would be too rude to turn away and run from her piercing gaze, so I simply smiled back at her awkwardly.

I didn't know what I had expected. Maybe it was a growl or a scratch on the face but neither came. What came was a smile as she purred again. a smile. The cat knew how to smile.

"a smile. The cat knew how to smile.

"You should smile more," I blurted out, before realising that it was a weird thing to say to someone with whom you were making a conversation for the first time.

"Meow!" she said and purred, but didn't turn away. Her smile had grown wider, and so did mine, until she suddenly turned around and ran away on all fours, leaving me behind in a daze at this abrupt change.

"Haha," I said finally, "You're not too bad after all."

* * *

 **Winifred "Winnie" Chintz (17) D11F**

I watched the weird cat girl and the boy from Four stare at each other in the distance. It was an almost funny scene; the way they were eying each other. And then the girl ran away and the boy smiled and then muttered something to himself.

Shaking my head, I turned to look at Lennon, who was sitting all by himself in a corner. His ally had been there with him earlier and as soon as he left, the boy had started crying. Not loudly, but anyone looking in his eyes could see the tears there. And the fury on his face was visible from even this distance.

I wondered what the matter was but one thing was certain; Durain was playing a big game with his allies. My guts told me that he was going to betray and destroy them very soon and that infuriated me. I hated people who couldn't be loyal. Durain would be on my list at the top. No wonder his District Partner looked so vary of him.

As I wiped my face with a towel, I saw the boys from Six practice with a club. They were, surprisingly, quite good at it. They struggled a bit, yes, but their coordination was really good. I wondered how they did it. In fact, even though the others were rejecting them as a competition because f their disability, I knew that they were dangerous. Their coordination was too good, and they were physically strong. Nobody acknowledged it, but their strength was way noticeable.

I moved my eyes away from them, only to land on Lennon again, who looked so depressed that I couldn't take it anymore. So, despite myself, I walked over to him and sat down in front of him. He scowled when he saw me, and I found that strange because although he had been upset with the fact that I had refused to ally with him, he had never scowled at me before.

"Why are you here?" he asked bluntly.

"Why are you crying?"

"I'm not," he said loftily.

"You're fooling yourself kid."

"So what if I am?" he asked, "What is it to you?"

"Nothing," I replied, "Nothing at all. However, by showing your tears, you are portraying yourself as a weak competitor. Just remember that."

As I stood up, he looked at me. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to tell me something but then turned away. However, I saw his eyes shift, checking to see if I was really gone, and on finding me there, his eyes went back to staring at the wall. It was somehow… cute.

"Keep it up," I said, "And if you manage to drill a hole in that wall, please let me know."

"Hmph."

As I started walking away, I felt him turn towards me. I wheeled around to catch him looking at me sadly. Being caught in the act, he turned away again.

"Is there something you want to share?" I asked him again. Something was obviously bothering him but he wasn't going to confide in me. I refused to ally with him after all.

"No," he said stubbornly.

Shrugging, I walked back towards the weights where I was weight-training. Lennon was unhappy but there was nothing I could do to help, especially since he didn't want it. Well, not my problem. It pained me to say this, but he didn't really have much of a chance any way.

And so I set myself to work. I had to win this game.

* * *

 **Lennon Pareski (12) D11M**

I watched as Winnie walked away from me. I wanted to stop her, to tell her about what Judah was doing, but what good would that be? We were all here to win, and she couldn't help me. She wanted to win too, and I was not even her ally so she had no reason to feel concerned for me.

But she was.

It was kind of nice to see that, after her cold refusal. I opened my mouth to call out to her even as she lifted very heavy sack but decided against it. Judah was my problem and I had to solve it myself. Nobody else could help me.

I still couldn't believe Judah would want to betray me. That she called me a cry-baby. It wasn't like her. She had been so nice to me, so patient. She had tried to help me understand things better and she always gave me a hug when I would feel homesick. How could such a person be preparing to backstab you?

But then why would Durain lie? He seemed nice too. he always had a good joke to crack. He had been abused back in his family. Why would he do something like this? No, he couldn't be lying. But that would mean Judah was using us, and that was an even more painful thought.

I didn't want to be used.

Just as I thought about what she could be doing, thinking, plotting, tears welled up in my eyes again. I had to stop these but they were as adamant as I was, and refused to back down. However, Winnie was correct. If someone saw me crying, they would target me.

 _They will kill me._

"Genesis," I whispered, "Genesis."

I wished she were with me. No. I wished _I_ was with _her._ We fought but she was loving. She was adoring. She was a person who cared. I wanted to do nothing more than to curl up in a ball and make her tell me stories. Or at least to have her beside me so that I could tell her how I was feeling. I wanted to share so many things with her. I wanted to tell her how I felt about Judah's betrayal.

"Len!"

I looked up to see Judah coming towards me. She had a glass of juice in her hand and on reaching me, she handed it over.

"You're going to like it," she said as she gulped down the contents of her own glass. The juice was cold and tasted like oranges and pineapples and apples all mixed into one. It was delicious and refreshing.

"Thanks," I said with a smile. She smiled back at me and asked, "Want more?"

I was about to reply with a yes, but then Durain's words came crashing down on me. Judah was using me. Using me. she was being nice to me only to ditch me later.

Slowly, I shook my head.

"Um okay," she said, "Len, are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah," I replied nonchalantly.

"Are you sure?"

"Yep. Just a headache, that's it."

She could tell that I was hiding something but did not press the matter. One good thing that she did.

"Okay then Len," she said, "I'll be by the knives if you need me."

As I saw her retreating form, I couldn't help but feel angry enough to hit her with a club. _If you need me._ Such a double faced person! I couldn't believe it!

No, Judah, I would get you before you'd even blink.

* * *

 **Illea Calhage (16) D6F**

Throwing knives was not easy at all.

Till now, it had to be the hardest weapon to use. Both daggers and slingshots had been fairly easier. Yeah, slingshots. They were pretty good weapons, in my opinion. They couldn't kill in most cases, but they were very effective for escape, just as our trainer had demonstrated.

But throwing knives took too much strength. More strength than I had in me and now my arm was aching like anything. I wanted to stop but the trainer set out new targets in front of me and smiled encouragingly.

"You're a really fast learner," he said, "Keep going and you'll be really good at it."

That was the thing. I didn't want to keep going.

Even as I threw the knives, I imagined myself in Lyra's place, climbing the wall without any gears, the thrill of hanging in the air without support. Why didn't I join her instead of using these small little things? These were boring. Well, maybe they wouldn't have been that boring had the trainer not been explaining irrelevant stuff to me. like, why was it necessary for me to know _right now_ what material the target was made of? Seriously?

"Hey, you're missing the target!"

"Sorry!" I said, scratching my head, forgetting all about the knife in my hand. As a result, it pricked my ear just a bit and I winced.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"There's blood on your ear."

"Oh that," I said casually, "I just pricked my ear a bit. That's all."

He gave me a look of 'Are you serious?' and then told me to let him put a band-aide on the cut.

"There's no need!" I exclaimed, "I'll wash it off!"

With that I kept the knife on the table and trotted towards the washroom. Turning on the tap for cold water, I started cleaning my wound when I saw Erin from Twelve enter too, to wash her hand. There was a really deep cut on her, and it was bleeding pretty badly. I gasped.

"What happened?!"

She gave me a cold look and then went back to washing her wound.

"It's a cut," she said as if answering a five-year-old's question. I didn't like the tone, but there was no reason to start an argument over it.

"Must be hurting a lot."

She didn't reply to that. Closing the tap, she glanced at me once before moving out as if I didn't even exist. I frowned. That was rude. Oh well, I wasn't going to let that get to me.

As I left the washroom and entered the hall, Lyra came running over to me. There was a look of panic on her face and I was suddenly feeling scared. What was it? why was she wearing such an expression? Did something happen?

"Come, we need to have lunch. Fast."

I blinked twice. Lunch? She was so horrified because of _lunch_? I laughed.

"What's so funny?" she asked nervously.

"Well, your expression," I replied, "You are so tensed because of lunch? Geez, you must be hungry!"

"Uh, my dear," she said, "After lunch we're going to have our Private Sessions."

"What?!"

My jaw dropped. I had completely forgotten! Private sessions… just after lunch… how could I forget?!

"Come on," I said and led the way to the mess hall. Private sessions… now I was feeling nervous. There was a tickling feeling in my tummy, and it was not because of hunger. What was I going to do? I couldn't eat now. I didn't feel like it. My appetite was gone.

Now was the time to review in my mind what I was going to show them.

* * *

 **Aye, here is the last training day! You might have guessed it; private sessions are next. So, what did you think of this chapter? Whose POV did you like best? And worst? Please let me know your thoughts!**

 **Also, thanks for all your reviews and support! 211 reviews? Goodness, thank you all so much!**

 **I am excited for the Games and the arena I have in mind. I think it will be the most different one I have made yet and I like it and hopefully, you'll enjoy it too.**

 **Have a great day!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Private Sessions**

* * *

 **Nikona Linwood (16) D7M**

"Nikona, are you listening?"

I felt bad now for not having paid attention. Julius had nothing to worry about though. I didn't even know why he was so concerned, especially since I was not getting back. But since morning all he'd been doing was to tell me how I could better my score. I knew that a good show of the hatchet would do the job but he insisted that it wasn't enough. That I had to show something else.

At the same time he told me to keep a low-profile.

How was one supposed to both of those at the same time?

It was beyond my understanding. And so when he had still been talking, I had drifted off into my thought, and couldn't help but feel a bit eager that soon I would be meeting my siblings. I missed them more than anything else, and my feeling had only intensified since I got to the Capitol.

"I-I'm sorry," I said sincerely, thinking it would be right to apologise for being so inconsiderate. Because despite everything, despite me being a lost cause, he was still working so hard to bring me back.

He sighed.

"Julius, you don't need to worry," I said, trying for a smile but I hadn't smiled in such a long time that I couldn't really manage it. Not that I really wanted to. There was no reason to smile after all, not with an impending doom hovering over my head.

"Why are you so- so lost?" he asked finally, "Don't give up. Not just yet."

"I've not given up."

"You don't act like it."

"See, I'm going to try my best but I know the outcome. I'm only being realistic."

"You're being everything _but_ realistic. You're being stubborn about a fact that is not even a fact. Who told you that you will die? How can you just say that and decide for yourself?"

"I'm cursed."

"No you're not!" Julius said, with a frown, "And now listen to me. You're good at climbing. Do that first, then proceed to the hatchets."

"There is not enough time for that."

"There is a lot of time if you know what you've got to do. If you have planned things properly."

"And…"

"And we've not planned anything," he said casually, "But it's not too late. Last-minute plans work amazingly well."

"They do?"

"Yeah," he replied, "And that's why I am telling you to show them two of your skills. Because of the shortage of time you'll not be able to show your skills to the fullest, which will result in a good score but nothing too high to attract attention. You're getting me?"

"Yeah…" I replied. Now that I was listening, it all made sense. If I managed to perform decently with a hatchet and did some climbing, I could get a score of a six. Seven was high, but a six was pretty decent and didn't attract attention but it could get me some sponsors. A six could help me make it further.

"Thanks Julius," I said, "I'll keep it in mind."

He smiled as he patted my shoulder.

"Good luck."

* * *

 **Appalachia Bryce (18) D2F**

Sel had just gone for his sessions. Waiting here, with so many insignificant people, was a hard task. Especially the boy from Eleven and the girl from Five. They were too young. They reminded of my students and if you knew me then you'd know that it was the worst thing anyone could remind me of.

These two looked harmless, unlike the ones back in Two. No, they were little brats who just had to be put in their place. I wished I had my sabre at the moment; it wasn't a bad time to have fun, not when I was bored and the Careers were annoying me.

These tributes knew what they were doing. Especially King and Mirabel. The others literally followed whatever these two said. It was as if their word was law. Of course, they did it for King only because he creeped them out with his subtle, creepy threats and his weird mannerisms, but I honestly didn't like how popular Mirabel was. They listened to her. Always.

Not that I had any need to feel threatened. These people ate up my words when I'd make a suggestion, and honestly I made sure that they couldn't even come up with an alternative solution. At the moment, our plan was of deceit.

Poor Sagittarius wouldn't know what hit him.

He was the weakest link after all. The idiot was an emotional fool, although he did a great job at hiding it, but it was evident. He had bad relations with his mentors. He felt pressurised to perform excellently.

But that was not the reason I wanted to eliminate him first.

He was a threat. He was an actual threat.

I knew first-hand that when a person was determined and had something to prove, they could either fall so badly that they'd never rise, or emerge victorious against all odds. And Sagittarius had a lot to prove.

"Appalachia," Mirabel said, "You ready? Did you figure out what you're going to do?"

Funny she asked me that. She did so only because she thought I wasn't trained much and had no experience. She had to ask only me because she wanted to belittle me. Well, let her try. She might have experience with weapons, but I had experience with _actual_ murder. That accounted for more than any Academy could have taught.

"Yes I did, Mira," I replied with a smile, "And thanks for asking. I appreciate the concern."

She smiled back at me and then leaned back in her chair. I smiled even more widely as I turned away. Mirabel didn't know what was coming her way. Once we were past the top twelve, I'd kill her, in her sleep if need be.

"Appalachia Bryce, please come in."

"Good luck," Sagittarius said with a grin.

"Thank you Sage."

There was no reason to not be friendly with these guys. After all, I had to keep them along for a while, and it could be bad if they ganged up on _me._

When I entered the hall, I was welcomed by the grandeur of the place. The gamemakers were seated in a balcony overhead. The roof was shaped like a dome, and intricate designs were painted on it. The sheer size of the place made the training area look tiny, and I could tell you that it was not tiny. Rows and rows of weapons lined the place, and my eyes scanned the area for a sabre.

"Ms. Bryce," the head gamemaker, Matthew Hayes said, "What are you going to show us today?"

I smirked.

"Something that will make your show hit."

* * *

 **Clarke Aldridge (18) D9F**

As soon as my hammer connected to the weight, it split into two. The weight wasn't that strong but most of the gamemakers applauded. Except Matthew, who looked unimpressed with my performance. I proceeded to take a dagger and demonstrate how I could use it. I arranged the dummies in a circle and started to hack at them with much enthusiasm. Actually I wasn't enthusiastic, but I had to pretend.

As soon as I was done with the last dummy the timer rung. I placed my dagger on the rack and then bowed before leaving. Matthew nodded at me as I left.

When I entered my room I couldn't help but feel anxious about my performance. The way Matthew had looked at me… I didn't feel as if I was going to get a good score. It was disheartening. I had worked so hard for this but they were still not impressed. I had heard he was hard to impress anyway but…

I hoped I would get a seven at least. What if the careers kicked me out of the alliance because of a low score? That was a possibility, and I didn't want that to happen, because of it did not only the careers but the other Outer District tributes might see me as a weak target. That couldn't happen. I must not let it happen.

"Oh goodness," I whispered, letting out a deep breath. What was done, was done. There was nothing I could do to reverse that.

"I need to think of something. Clarke, use your head."

So what to do if I did get a low score? I could part ways with the careers before they decide to finis me off at the bloodbath. I knew I wasn't hopeless, and if Matthew wasn't happy it was only because, as I'd heard, he was slightly bitter towards tributes since a year.

So maybe that's what I would have to do. Break away from the alliance before they try to 'get rid' of me. Get to the cornucopia before they did. Get a dagger and then? Then what? They were not fools. It wasn't easy to give them a slip.

Before I could ponder further on the ideas that were floating through my brain, a knock was heard on the door, a very smart sound, and I knew that it must be Durain. It sounded like the way he knocked the door, just once, making a really sharp sound.

But when I opened it, i wasn't met by Durain but Sagittarius.

"Hi," he said, "How did it go?"

I trusted him enough to know that he wouldn't go running to his allies and tell them about what I was thinking.

"Decent, I'd say," I replied, "But it could have been better."

He sighed.

"I'm glad I'm not the only one. I don't feel particularly happy about it too."

I raised my brows. Never did I think I'd hear that from a career's mouth. Then I realised that I hadn't invited him inside, so I did so now, and he gingerly settled himself on the bed.

"Sage."

I couldn't hold it any more. I had to tell him, but if I did then wouldn't I be on their target too? No, I couldn't be so selfish. I had to let him know.

"Yeah?"

"You- you might want to avoid… certain people during the bloodbath."

His eyes widened as it dawned on him what I meant. He shook his head but I nodded at him sadly. He gulped and then nodded at me.

"Thanks Clarke, I'll keep that in mind."

* * *

 **King Tychun (18) D1M**

One would wonder why I'd come to the sixth floor. Technically, I could come here, but since I didn't have any allies from Six, it could raise questions. Not that it mattered at all to me, because one glare was enough to silence most of the people.

No, I was here to meet our… friends. The 'boys' from Six. They were freaks of nature all right, but I honestly wondered how they had managed to live for so long. I wanted to know them. And I wanted to kill them.

They were too creepy, and scared all the other tributes. But I couldn't let that happen, could I? Especially since it was my area.

I leaned against the elevator, knowing they would come here soon. And sure enough, in a couple of minutes, the elevator doors opened and they stepped out, arguing about something just like they always did. Why did they have to argue so much?

"We messed up," one head said, "All because of you."

"Hey!" the other head said, the one that was relatively calmer, "We didn't do too bad! They'll overlook the blunder because they perceive us as two headed people!"

"So _that's_ what you're counting on?!" the other head almost yelled angrily, "Come on Raylic, you can't mean it. Not you of all people."

"Roslin that's how they view us. It hurts, it hurts a lot that they look at us like freaks but Anya said to use that to our advantage and she-"

"Yeah right," Roslin said, "Just because Anya said it has to be right. Just because she said so you're willing to have people look at us like freaks!"

"I'm not!"

"Well, well, well."

The two jumped on hearing my voice. Raylic's eyes widened whereas Roslin scowled.

"What are you doing here?" he asked angrily.

I walked up to him, towering over the twins. Raylic gulped, willing their body to step back, and it did, but Roslin was not one to back down.

"You may be found entertaining," I said in an eerie way, "But please know that the Capitol views you as nothing but the freaks that you are."

Raylic's face fell at that, and he looked really hurt by the statement. Roslin, however, glared back at me with a fire in his eyes, and I honestly loved it.

"Don't talk to us like that."

"Or what?"

I could see that Roslin was tempted to punch me, but Raylic stopped him. In fact, he looked really afraid, especially when I gave him a shifty glance and a 'smile'.

"People are scared of you," I said, "So be prepared for the bloodbath. You're intimidating other tributes."

"Yeah, and they find you as cuddly as a teddy-bear," Roslin spat out venomously.

I laughed, and they took a step back, Roslin still looking defiant, Raylic looking even more worried than before.

"I'd love to meet you in the arena," I said, "I wish we could have found some secrets about you. The reason you turn out with two heads that have different personalities."

Roslin was about to say something, when a girl's voice came from behind me.

"What are you doing here?"

I turned around to look at their mentor. Anya was smiling at me, but I knew that she wouldn't like it that I was threatening her tribute that way. And although I wasn't scared of her, in fact I was annoyed with the way she won, I wasn't really in the mood to talk to her.

"Just came to say hello to my friends," I replied and then pushed past her, bumping into her shoulder so that she turned a complete semi-circle due to the sheer force. I could feel her piercing glare at the back of my head but I didn't care.

She could glare all she wanted but it wouldn't change the fact that I would win.

* * *

 **Erin Denver (17) D12F**

My hand was better now, after taking some medicines. I couldn't believe how stupid the whole situation of the injury was. The girl from Five just ran into me when I was practicing with an axe, and my hand slid across the blade. It was deep, but not very deep.

The girl muttered an apology and then simply walked away. It was a bit annoying, but it would be stupid to expect good things here. I was lucky to get away with just a cut.

But it affected my performance.

My hand hurt when I held the axe, but I still tried my best. But maybe my injury had just worsened things for me, because it might have just resulted in the lowering of my score, and thus my chance of getting sponsors. People didn't sponsor tributes from Twelve much anyway. Finley… No, I couldn't think about him now. I just couldn't.

"When will they reveal the scores?" Ashleigh asked. He appeared to be calm, but I saw him clutching the armrest a little too tightly.

"Soon," Cameron said cheerfully, "But you needn't worry. I don't any of you manage to get above a four anyway. And that's if they take pity on you."

"Shut up," we said together.

He laughed. "They are all the same! I've not had a good tribute from Twelve in a while. Except Dante that is. Dante was brilliant. He had it in him. Killed a lot of careers, three or four of them, which is a big deal. Ah, I wish he'd won. I miss the guy. He was one good fellow."

I raised my brows. He actually had something good to say for a tribute of his? I remembered Dante Callum very well. Despite everything, I was still rooting for him. I actually thought he could win, and that's farthest any tribute from Twelve had gone in years.

"I wish so too," Ashleigh said, "He would have made a better mentor."

Cameron chuckled as he downed a glass of wine in a go and smacked his lips, followed by a dazed grin. I scooted away from him, trying to hide my disgust but failing at it spectacularly.

"What do you think, Erin? How was it?" Ashleigh asked. He was doing a good job of not showing it, but the way his eyes glared into the television I knew he was nervous too. Maybe even more than I was. His sister would be glued to the television too at the moment, and I found myself wishing that he would get a good score.

I wondered for a second where Armite was staying now. Ashleigh didn't talk much about her but he did mention that his parents were dead. Who was looking after the girl? It was not my business to worry about her but… She was only six. A young child. She didn't deserve this.

None of us did.

Or maybe some us did, like the careers. They actually volunteered for something so horrible. And then there were some Outliers, and honestly I didn't know how such an absurd thought could occur in their heads.

"The scores are about to come up!" Cameron said, "Just don't cry when you see yours."

We turned towards the television, even as Panem's seal appeared and the show began.

* * *

 **Sasha Flame (21) Mentor for District Five**

Sasha felt extremely horrible and disgusted, standing in front of this woman.

It was his first time, and just to make him not contemplate something drastic as suicide, he had taken so many drugs and had drowned himself in alcohol. It may help him cope.

Sure, Anya said she had a plan, but what could an eighteen-year-old girl do alone? There was no escaping now, and his heart wanted to jump out of his ribcage. He felt guilty, as if he was cheating on his wife. He _was_ cheating on her. Sasha didn't have the strength to tell Micky what he was about to do. Not when, not when she had just given him the news that he would soon be a father.

How did he end up in this mess?

All this woman had been doing was to lean against his shoulder and look at him, demanding compliments from her eyes. This was easy. Nothing too indecent about praising a woman. He just wasn't sure what he would do when this phase would change and she would want… more.

He wished he was with his tributes, trying to encourage them. Or with his wife. He didn't like her much as a wife, but he had certainly accepted her as an annoying friend.

His hand slipped to the watch he was wearing. His weapon… during his games he was famous for using a killer belt. So famous in fact that wherever he went, people first looked at his belt warily. So he had to switch weapons.

The watch had a simple poisonous gas in it. He could kill her right now. He didn't need any weapon, he was strong enough to simply snap her neck and be done with it. And it wouldn't be for the first time. Even after his games, he had killed people ruthlessly. At least thirty of them till now, without feeling any kind fear. So what was stopping him now?

Ah, the thought of his family.

"You're beautiful," the woman said with a smile, and it took all his self-control to not suffocate her with a pillow or something.

"Thank you," he said, "But not more than you."

She laughed, and he honestly wished Ruby had called him beautiful, not this hag.

"Aren't you feeling hot in this jacket?"

"Um, no. I've got a slight fever."

"Aw," she said, but he knew exactly why she was disappointed. The thing was that the very thought of doing this did give him a very high fever. He also had to take medicines along with the drugs. And practice. Practice of talking to women. He had never been able to talk to a girl without stuttering for so long. At least that was an accomplishment.

"What's that?!" he said softly, getting off the bed and going over to the window. He had seen a light from behind the curtains…

"Oh no!"

"What happened?" the woman asked as she joined him at the window. Gasping, she put her hands to her mouth, trying to stop herself from screaming.

"Come on, we need to get away now!"

Taking her hand, Sasha rushed towards the door, wondering how come it happened. He had an idea, of course, but could she really burn down the forensic lab? That was a big thing, and an important building. It also served as a training unit for peacekeepers who were trained in the capitol instead of Two.

And now it was burning down, a huge ball of fire illuminating everything around it. and the building was too close to the manor they were in.

"What's happening?!" the woman screamed.

Sasha wished he could throw her into the fire but instead he replied, "Rebels."

The woman gaped at him. Most of the Capitol citizens were terrified whenever anyone said that word, and rightfully so. They remembered the rebellion from twelve years ago, and how it had started in the Capitol itself and not the Districts.

And then she screamed and hugged him tightly. There were people everywhere. People in masks, carrying guns and rifles. They had weapons. One of them had a flamethrower.

Sasha saw three of them running towards the manor, and he braced himself for a fight even as one of them kicked open the door. The woman fled inside.

"Step aside," one of them said.

"No," he replied.

And now he knew what was going to happen. Anya's plan was brilliant. It would prove that he was no rebel but a loyal victor.

Sadly, the plan had big risks attached.

The person standing in front of him raised his gun, when Sasha saw it was not a man but a woman. A woman who would never hurt him. But they had to feign it.

 _Go ahead Haley._

And that's what his friend did. One shot in the waist, and his whole world was spinning. Was he actually going to die? It would be better than becoming what he was about to, so he didn't really regret it. Except for one reason. If he died…

He'd never get to meet his child.

* * *

 **Training scores:**

 **D1M: King Tychun (18)- 10**

 **D1F: Gretchen Golden (18)- 9**

 **D2M: Sel Raze (17)- 9**

 **D2F: Appalachia Bryce (18)- 9**

 **D3M: Maverick Zhao (17)- 8**

 **D3F: Nine Price (16)- 5**

 **D4M: Sagittarius Ryans (18)- 10**

 **D4F: Mirabel Grant (17)- 10**

 **D5M: Talon Darqet (15)- 5**

 **D5F: Deena Carters (13)- 3**

 **D6M: Roslin Chevalier (16) and Raylic Chevalier (16)- 2**

 **D6F: Illea Calhage (16)- 5**

 **D7M: Nikona Linwood (17)- 6**

 **D7F: Lyra Stafford (16)- 6**

 **D8M: Justin Auben (17)- 6**

 **D8F: Fancy Viridian (15)- 2**

 **D9M: Durain Haefelle (18)-4**

 **D9F: Clarke Aldridge (18)- 8**

 **D10M: Ryder Venison (16)-7**

 **D10F: Judah Pocks (16)- 5**

 **D11M: Lennon Pareski (12)- 3**

 **D11F: Winifred Chintz (17)- 7**

 **D12M: Ashleigh Micas (18)- 7**

 **D12F: Erin Denver (17)- 5**

 **Hi! So these are the scores. I know some got a little too much and some got a little too less. But anyway, what did you think of the chapter? I hope you enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed writing this. It's not that good, and I just gave them whatever score came to my head. Excuse the poor quality, but I haven't slept since a couple of days now, and I am really tired.**

 **Finally, we'll be going to the Games. Finally. Finally. FINALLY!**

 **So, stay tuned.**

 **Have a great day!**


	24. Chapter 24

**The Bloodbath**

* * *

 **Lyra Stafford (16) D7F**

I woke up in cold sweat, a loud scream emanating from something had done it. Then I realised that it was my scream. It was here. Here.

Today was the day I could die.

I didn't want to think about it but there was no way I could stop the trembling or the negative thoughts in my head. The bloodbath. It was coming.

It was only natural that I pulled the blanket over myself again to keep warm. A little too warm. A part of my brain tried to capture the warmth. Who knew if I would ever get it again or not? Most probably I wouldn't.

I didn't know when I fell asleep again, or how I manged to do so in the first place, but the next time I woke up it was to gentle shaking that was still firm.

"Lyra! Lyra wake up!"

I opened my eyes to see my escort looking at me with somewhat concern. And then it hit me again. I was going to die.

All I wanted to do now was to cry. Was this really happening? I honestly thought it wouldn't, that it was all a dream.

I was so wrong.

What followed... I didn't remember it much. I remembered being forced to have a heavy breakfast but I had no appetite. Nikona, however, looked completely fine and hungry. I wished I was like him. It would be so much easier...

The hug that Julius gave me... I was going to remember that. It was gentle and when he stepped back from me, I was surprised to see his eyes were slightly bleak. He tried for an encouraging smile though and just because he was always kind to me despite being a Capitolite, I smiled back.

It was a blur of visuals after that. The flight, going into our respective rooms and the clothes. I picked up the shirt gingerly and was surprised by the attire.

A light yellow shirt with white stripes, navy blue leggings, boots, a belt and a... blue hairband. This was a weird set, to say the least. Who would fight in this outfit?

Then I realised that it was made in a way that was very flexible. Very, very flexible in fact, and the material was very light.

I was hoping someone would come to meet me but I was wrong. There was only a Peacekeeper who escorted me to ths tube. The tube...

Instantly, my legs were shaking and I almost collapsed. The peacekeeper made me drink some water and then sort of pushed me towards the tube. As soon as I entered, the glass walls rose up. This was the final straw and next I was banging on the walls to let me out. But he just stared back.

Gradually, the platform started rising.

My heart was beating so fast that I thought it would break the ribcage and drop on the ground. This couldn't be happening. This couldn't-

And then the tube came to a halt.

The glass walls were gone.

I was here. In the arena.

We were in a... hall. A large hall, with really tall walls, the ceiling kind of too much out of reach. There were windows, long windows, arched at the top, tinted yellow.

The floor was marble. White, with gold designs. There were paintings on the walls of the hall, which were already the colour of parchment. There was a coolness in the air that didn't help with the nerves.

In the centre was a long table, as if placed for a buffet. There were chairs pushed back against the walls, and finally I saw the doorway. It was wide, that's my thought.

 _Ten_

 _Nine_

And this was it. Illea was right opposite to me. On my right was Gretchen, a look of concentration on her face. To my left was Durain, eyeing the table in an almost indecent manner.

 _Three_

 _Two_

 _One_

* * *

 **Deena Carters (13) D5F**

Chaos ensued the moment the gong rang.

The closed space didn't help, even if the hall was huge and seemed to be endless. The tributes who ran towards the cornucopia were little more than causing a stampede, and I counted myself lucky to be able to grab a small bag.

Not for long though.

In an instance, the girl from Twelve was beside me, and she lunged for the same bag I had in my hands. I was not going to let her get it though, so I slammed my foot into her belly and then pushed her back.

And then I ran. Or at least I tried to, when I found my way being blocked by Clarke. She swung a machete at me and I ducked, a few strands of my hair flowing in the air even as she cut them. I tried to push past her, but she punched me so hard I crashed into the table with all the supplies.

Bad timing. Appalachia had just acquired a sabre, and then she lunged at me too. I rolled out of the way. From the corner of my eye I saw Clarke against Erin. Appalachia attacked again, and I just managed to dodge it. However, the next time she struck, the blade cut deep into my thigh. Despite myself I cried out, falling on the marble floor. I was unable to get up even as Appalachia advanced towards me. All around me everyone was fighting everyone else. I saw the boy from Four being cornered by his own District Partner and the girl from One.

Just as Appalachia attacked, I rolled out of the way before letting out a loud howl of pain. It hurt. It hurt so much!

I braced myself for the attack that I knew was coming. However, it did not come. I opened my eyes, trying not to cry from the pain in my thigh, when Appalachia lifted me bodily by the scruff of my collar and then smirked even as I shook in fear. What was she going to do?

"I wish I could have some fun with you," she said, "Alas! We have no time for that."

"Let go!"

"Let go!" I screamed as I flailed, trying to get away from her, but her grip was iron. Her eyes danced with glee, her lips twitched, as if she was trying to suppress a smile.

"Sure. I will."

I did the only thing I could think of; I slammed my bag in her face. It caused the distraction I wanted, and she dropped me on the floor, cursing. In spite of the pain I tried to crawl away as fast as I could, but I knew it was in vain. Before I could even move even three inches, her foot slammed into my thigh. I cried out, tears falling freely now. I yelled and shouted, trying to ease the pain, but it was no use. No use.

"Good bye," she said as she lifted me and threw me towards the table, onto the one sword that was pointing outwards…

I felt something going through my stomach and pushing through my back but after that, there was nothing.

* * *

 **Durain Haefelle (18) D9M**

"Come on Durain! Come on!" Judah said as we ran towards the only door in the room. Her left arm was injured when the boy from Two had attacked, but somehow she had managed to escaped.

The door seemed to be getting further away from us with each step we took. It was frustrating beyond anything else. Lennon was by my side, and he was the one carrying the one bag we had managed to snatch up. in the time of distress, he was the one who looked calmest about it. his eyes were set on the doorway, and his speed fastened when the cannon rung.

Somebody just died.

I resisted the urge to look back and see who did. No, not a moment could be spared. Not now, not now.

"Come on guys!"

As soon as she said that, I saw Clarke and the Twelve girl come into view. They were still fighting. Clarke was injured but nowhere as much as Erin. The younger girl barely seemed to be holding up. then her District Partner attacked Clarke. She was losing now, but not for long. As soon as the action began, an arrow came flying towards them and hit Erin in the back of the head. Before she could do anything, her cannon rung.

Another murder. Right now. Right in front of my eyes.

I couldn't take my eyes off Erin's limp body. I saw Ashleigh trying to fight Clarke but once he heard the cannon he knew better than to continue. Pushing her away, he ran towards the doorway too. I turned behind once to see Nine, whose hand was clasped to her mouth. She took a step back, unable to believe she just killed her. I was sure that the arrow was in fact for Clarke, and not Erin.

"DURAIN!"

Judah pulled at me and, waking out of my stupor, I followed her. Anything to escape this nightmare. The cries of all the people. The shouts, the insane laughter… It was too much. Too much.

But soon we were out of the hall and into…

… a corridor.

It was long, and had ornate doors, leading to more halls like the one from where we escaped. On one side of the corridor there were archways that led into a courtyard of sorts, which in turn led to another corridor. The courtyard had mowed grass, a fountain and nothing else.

"Where to?" I asked.

"There," Lennon pointed towards the end of the corridor. Without a thought all three of us started towards our destination, although I was sure there was a blank wall ahead. However, Lennon took a right turn, and I wanted to slap my forehead for not seeing it before. A stairwell.

Up the broad staircase we ran, but we just couldn't maintain our speed due to the marble floor. Judah almost slipped once, but thankfully for her she managed to keep her balance.

And that's when I heard voices in the corridor. There was a lot of cursing, metal clashed against metal and then a loud cry from a boy. Lennon continued to run upstairs, tears finally in his eyes.

"Come on Judah!"

"Don't make noise!" she whispered, and then slowly we started sneaking up the stairs. We couldn't afford to make any noise now.

"How could you, Mira?!" I heard the boy say, "Why did you turn against me?"

"I actually want to win, Sage. I assure you it's nothing personal."

And then Mira cried out, and another girl shouted. I heard hurried footsteps moving away from them, probably towards the courtyard.

"Blast it!"

"Come on Mira," the other girl said. Gretchen, I think she was. "He is injured. We can still finish him."

And that's when I slipped.

The two Careers turned around sharply as I fell down the staircase, hitting my head on the wall. I knew I was done for. No way could I escape this alive.

And before I knew it, they were right beside me. Gretchen looked up the staircase but shook her head. Judah was either hiding or had already left.

"There are-"

Before I could complete my sentence though, Mirabel brought her sword down in one clean motion, and it honestly left no room for argument.

* * *

 **Sagittarius "Sage" Ryans (18) D4M**

I fell on my back as soon as I entered the room in the other courtyard. I wanted to cry in pain right now. Slowly, I pulled out the knife that was embedded in my shin. Pain shot up through my spine, and all I wanted was to close my eyes and faint. But that wasn't possible now. I had to hide. Soon enough, all the Careers would come hunting for me.

Mira had been fighting Nine, but the girl managed to give her a slip. However, I knew she had still been present in the same room. How she managed to hide from the careers, I didn't know, but what I did know that she killed the girl from Twelve. And then she fled after realising her own folly.

I wished she had killed Mirabel instead.

But now here I was, all weak and powerless. All I had managed to grab was a sickle, and I honestly wasn't good with it. it was pretty useless in my procession, in fact, and wondered what I should do next.

Before I could think on it more, I heard the loud sound of the cannon. Whose was it? I could only hope it was a Career…

That was a happy thought, and for some time silence was all that prevailed. And then I heard loud voices from the corridor. No, no, they couldn't be here! I was in no position to defend myself! What was I going to do?

And then I heard fighting. The Careers were angry; somebody was offering them tough competition. But then the unmistakable sound of metal slicing through bone was heard, followed by the drop of the body. The cannon rung once again.

Slowly, painfully, I dragged myself to the window. In the distance I saw Justin on the floor while Maverick fought against King. All the careers watched them fight. Maybe it was the way King moved, the way he smirked or the way he just looked at maverick, but the boy from Three looked afraid, and wasn't faring really well. King honestly wasn't doing much, but his predator-smile, or his hungry look was enough to lower Maverick's defences.

And then, right on time, Illea and Lyra made their entry. From the other side, Kitty ran into them. Her eyes widened when she took in the crowd, and when she saw her dead District Partner she let out an audible gasp.

In a second, Clarke and her were fighting. The other Careers all cornered the two girls, and Sel simply snapped Lyra's neck, killing her instantly. I shut my eyes. It wasn't a pretty sight, especially not when Illea screamed out loud. It was like a hammer on my heart, and at that moment I decided I wasn't going to hide here like a coward. I was not a coward.

And so, holding my sickle tightly, I walked out, limping, when everyone turned towards me. Appalachia smirked, and like a tiger approaching its prey, came towards me. I saw Illea hesitate for a second or so, but then she ran away. It seemed as if Maverick had reached the same conclusion, and he too fled. However, his absence was quickly noticed, and Sel and King followed him, their weapons ready.

I wanted to use a fancy dialogue, but the pain in my leg forced me on my knees. Instead of just killing me though, Appalachia ran her blade down my cheek, drawing blood. Maybe she wanted me to scream and beg, but I wasn't going to do that. I thrust my sickle forward, but she stepped aside with lightning rapidity. I aimed my fist towards her, but missed so horribly that it actually drew laughs from the other two girls.

"How the hell did you get a ten?" Gretchen asked, her voice full of sincerity, "I mean, seriously."

And that was when another cannon sounded. Kitty drew away from Clarke's corpse and then looked at the three girls. There was no smile on her face; I didn't think I had ever seen her this serious. She rummaged in a side pocket of her bag and then threw something at the girls.

Dust.

They were all momentarily blinded, and then Fancy ran towards the room from where I had come. She beckoned me to follow her.

I could kill Appalachia now. But the other two wouldn't let me live.

I was honestly upset over Clarke's death. She had warned me… and I could do nothing for her. I wanted to cry now, but that would be an insult to her memory. So I pulled myself to my feet and tried to get to the room as fast as I could.

And then Mirabel, half-blinded, lunged at me. I threw my sickle at her with as much force as I could, and was disgusted by the satisfaction I got when it stuck in her shoulder, causing her to howl in pain.

When I reached the room, I saw Kitty open the window to outside this whole grand place. It was a cross between a garden and a forest, and she jumped through the window. Taking in a deep breath, I followed her.

"Thanks for helping out," I said, trying not to let the pain get to me.

"I wasn't helping you out," she said, "But if you must then I have no problem with you tagging along."

And before anything else could happen, she dragged me behind a large tree, where I finally passed out.

* * *

 **Gods… it was so hard to kill these people. I loved them all, and honestly decided to kill these off just now. I'm sorry to the submitters of these characters. Please know it was nothing against you. Also, I'm sorry for such a bloodbath. I like this arena the best, because I've not even revealed half of what it's like, but the bloodbath itself was weird. It wasn't even as good as the one of Garden of Roses, and that had been my least favourite one till date. Still, I hope you didn't find it to be that bad…**

 **Eulogies:**

 **24th- Deena Carters: Deena was… unique. I liked her so much. she was different, and I could relate to her because she too didn't like it much when she was being 'helped'. However, I just didn't know what to do with her anymore, so this happened. Rest in peace Deena, you'll be missed.**

 **23rd- Erin Denver: Erin was a good character, T, but a little hard to write for me. yes, there were things I could do with her, but when I tried to think of an arc about her, it just didn't work. That doesn't mean I didn't like her, because I did, especially because she was so realistic. Rest in peace.**

 **22nd- Durain Haefelle: Duain was honestly one of my favourites. He was a little git, and I love those. His abusive family, and the way it made him a worse human being was a little different from most submission I had received, but yeah, his time had come. You'll be missed.**

 **21st- Justin Auben: Justin, Justin, Justin! Chip won't be very happy with this. I liked Justin, he was fun to write. However, I had already decided that either he or maverick were going this chapter, and since Maverick was more liked and had more scope for development, Justin had to go. Rest in peace Justin.**

 **20th- Lyra Stafford: LYRA! I'm sorry Megan! Lyra was honestly one of the best characters of the story. She was naïve, but such a fun presence. It was always so easy and comfortable to write for her. I'm sorry she had to go, but I really loved her. Rest in peace Lyra, you'll be dearly missed.**

 **19th- Clarke Aldridge: I'm sure most of you didn't expect this. I wasn't going to write her death this chapter either, but the flow of the chapter was such that it just… happened. Clarke was a good tribute, very detailed, and it was a joy to write for her. Rest in peace Clarke.**

 **So there it was. Correct me if I missed someone. Please let me know your thoughts on this chapter.**

 **There are too many boys left… guess I'll have to balance that out. XD**

 **Also, if you're looking for a good SYOT to submit to, you can check out IVolunteerAsAuthor's Free Falling. Submissions are open now, and I can say he's a much better writer than me who has completed NINE SYOTs! So yeah, do send him some characters! :)**

 **So have a good day!**


	25. Chapter 25

**The First Day**

* * *

 **Nikona Linwood (16) D7M**

It was a miracle that both Ryder and I escaped the bloodbath unscathed. Something I had seriously not anticipated and definitely not dared to hope for. However, here we were, in a room. Or a hall, which would be a better word for this place.

"It's empty," Ryder said, "Except for those."

I had not really spotted the table leaning against the wall, or the chairs piled up on top of each other in a corner. A single carpet, bright red in colour, moved along the centre from one end to another. The colour was too much like that of blood, something that I obviously didn't like.

"How many of them died?" Ryder asked. He sounded strong but the sadness in his voice was still felt. He shouldn't be sad though. The people who were dead were happy now in afterlife. If they were good they would be rewarded accordingly.

"Six, I think," I replied. My voice echoed in that large hall, and it was truly creepy.

"This is very sunny," he said, "Had there been curtains on those windows we would have been safer. We're quite visible from outside, I think."

"Let's see what's outside."

"I don't think we should approach the windows. What if there are mutts there?"

"Mutts can be anywhere, Ryder. And anyway, we are all destined to die regardless of what we do."

He pursed his lips at that but didn't argue. I knew he disagreed, and didn't want to think about his death. Most people found it difficult, and I wasn't going to blame them. After all, if I hadn't been cursed, I would have thought so too.

"Nikona, I think we should check our supplies first."

Well, he was right too. Knowing what we had in hand was important. So we sat down on the clean marble floor and unzipped the backpack we had managed to grab. I had got us a hatchet and a rod, unable to find a whip anywhere, and Ryder snatched up a small purple bag.

"There's a water bottle," he said and then grinned, "It's full."

"There are also bandages here."

"Two apples."

"A packet of wafers."

"Cashews."

"And another full water bottle."

"And a torch."

"Nothing else?"

"No," Ryder replied, "But this isn't too bad. some people may not have anything at all."

"True. True."

"The torch and water are important."

"We won't be found here, right?" I asked.

"Can't say," he sighed, "We might as well take a look out of the window."

And so, zipping up the bag and dragging it along, we walked over to the window closest to us. It was too high and I had to stand on my tip-toes to take a look.

"It's a garden."

"And look, there's a pond there."

"It's too well-maintained."

I couldn't really understand what this place was. Was it a castle? Was it a school from long ago? Was it based after something very important?

The garden outside could belong to a fairy tale. It went on and on in a never-ending way, with lush green, evenly cut grass swaying in the wind, flowers dotting the ground. The pond glistened brightly in the sunlight. The sky was the clearest blue and I felt a sense of tranquillity just looking at it. It was beautiful.

Well, at least my death would occur in such a beautiful place.

* * *

 **Winifred "Winnie" Chintz (17) D11F**

Six cannons.

Six deaths.

Was Lennon one of them?

I couldn't help but wonder if he had survived. I hoped he did. The young boy did have a spark to him. He was so…innocent. Innocent but not foolish. But his allies… did they betray him? Was he dead? I didn't know. I didn't think I could bare to know.

The place I had taken shelter in was the most unlikely dwelling. It was a tree house.

Yes, a real tree house.

It was small, with barely enough place to lie down but it was hidden in a very obscure way. I had managed to locate it only because I had climbed this tree to look around. And then I slipped. Fortunately, I landed on the same branch as this house. Leaves covered it completely but a tiny window enabled me to see everything that was going on outside. So this was probably the safest haven I could have found in this arena.

The arena itself loomed over me. It was too tall for me to understand what it was exactly, but it looked so ancient and so majestic that I couldn't help but feel this structure resembled something important from the past. The walls were stone, the garden expanded over too large an area. It could have been a castle maybe. I didn't know.

Even as I was contemplating whether Lennon survived or not, I heard some kind of a rustling nearby. Slowly, I crawled over to the window and looked out. The cat girl was pulling a half dead District Four boy and pushed him between a tree. The boy was too hurt. What surprised me that the two of them were together, and she was actually trying to help someone. She said something and he shook his head.

"Don't you dare pass out again!" she finally shouted, "I've wasted too much water to wake you up. you've fainted twice already. You can't do so a third time or else-"

The boy pressed his hand against her mouth to quieten her and then grinned somewhat painfully. The girl shook her head and then purred, scratching her stomach in the process. The boy looked like he laughed, and then he fell on his knees, doubled over in pain. Just as Kitty was about to say something, a _Chime_ sound was heard, and a parachute descended next to them. The girl grabbed the parcel happily and then retrieved something like a vial from it.

She sighed and growled angrily, but handed it over to the boy, who drank it eagerly. I sighed. Careers were getting sponsors already. Now, if I killed these two, I was certain I would get sponsors too.

But I didn't want to do so now.

I was tired. Although I hadn't killed, I didn't want to involve myself in any fight. I watched as the pair got up again and started walking towards the undergrowth, staggering, tired but undefeated.

I shrugged and lied back, trying to get some rest.

* * *

 **Raylic Chevalier (16) D6M**

Following Anya's advice, we didn't wait to grab anything, and just ran over. However, we managed to snatch a club from someone, I didn't know who. I let Roslin control our body completely, and he managed to get us out of that mess the first. Plus, the careers were the rea threat, and they were all focused on killing Sagittarius. It was beyond me how they could stoop so low and turn on their own ally, especially so soon when he wasn't a threat to them. His own District partner too. Although we weren't allies, I'd never do that with Illea.

At the moment, however, we were in the dungeons. Yes, the dungeons. It was dark, the smell was really damp and musty. A chill settled over us. But the trapdoor leading here, we had closed it. no one could get in here now, especially since it was so conveniently concealed by the table. Just to make sure, we had pulled a carpet over the trap. It had been hard, and we didn't know whether the carpet was spread out uniformly or not. But there was nothing else that we could do.

"That was a good idea there," Roslin said grudgingly.

"Thanks," I replied, "But we really need to think of food and water."

"I think we should check out the rooms first."

I didn't say anything to that, and we stepped into the darkness. There was a switch on the wall, and I pressed it.

"Don't go around pressing any switches!" Roslin yelled at me. his voice echoed darkly in this place which made it even creepier than before.

In a few seconds, however, we were surprised to see that lights had flickered on and it was dark no longer. No, they were the usual lights that we were all used to, but small flames being held in brackets along the walls. For some reason it looked even scarier and I was scared of our own shadow casted on the wall.

"Well done."

As we stepped forward, me looking around fearfully while Roslin stared ahead, we finally came to a fork, and I was even more terrified. It would have been much better if it had been straightforward.

"Let's go left," I said.

"No. Let's go straight."

"No. We'll go left."

"No, we'll go straight ahead. If we go straight, we have a lesser chance of getting lost."

I wanted to argue more, but our body was already moving, and so I gave in sulkily. Ninety percent of the times we ended up doing what he said, and it could be really annoying sometimes. Usually I wouldn't mind much, but right now it was different.

This was the place where we came across cells, except that they had iron doors instead of bars. We tried one of them, and it swung inwards noiselessly. Things were getting creepier by the second.

And we stepped in.

Immediately, the door shut. We gasped and turned around.

"Who's there?!" I cried out, banging on the door. It was locked. There was no way of getting out.

" _Ahem, ahem."_

Our hands froze in place. For the first time, I saw fear on Roslin' face. We didn't want to turn around. But there was no choice.

Trembling fearfully, we looked behind us.

There was a blackboard on one of the walls. A few chalks and a duster rested on a table, behind which there was a chair, in which a thin man was seated. There were five other tables and ten chairs, one table for two people.

This was a classroom.

My blood froze when I saw the cane in the man's hand. It was spiked and really thick. We took a step back.

"Why are you late?"

Roslin and I looked at each other. What were we to say to _that?_

"The class begun three minutes before you entered. Why are you late?"

"Uh, we got lost?" Roslin said uncertainly.

"Hmm," the man said, "And what about your mannerisms? Don't you know how to greet your teacher?"

Silence.

"Boys!"

"S-sorry sir," I said, "We didn't mean to- good morning, sir."

"Bow!"

So, reluctantly, we bowed slightly, saying, "good morning, sir."

"Good morning boys. Since you were late, you're going to write the spelling of the word I say on the blackboard correctly. If there even a single letter is wrong, or missing or extra, you will be punished."

I gulped as his eyes gleamed in the torchlight. This wasn't good. I hoped the word was something like dog or cat but I doubted it.

"The word is: honorificabilitudinitatibus. I repeat, it's honorificabilitudinitatibus."

"What?" Roslin whispered, "That's a word?"

"Yes it is, young man," our 'teacher' said, "It means the state of being able to achieve honours. Now, go ahead."

Slowly, we walked to the blackboard, picking up a chalk on the way. I had to do it, I had to, or we'd be dead.

"Roslin, let me."

And slowly, I started writing it on the board, in a tiny handwriting. Honorificabilitudinitatbus. Yeah, it had to be correct.

"Sir?"

"Done?"

"Ye-"

Before I could complete, Roslin forced our hand to insert an 'I' between 't' and 'b' at the end, so now it read: honorificabilitudinitatibus.

"Let me see."

I hoped we hadn't messed up. Roslin held the club tightly. Why did he have to add that 'I' in the end?

The man drew back and looked at us sternly. Doomed. We were doomed.

"Well done boys," he said brightly, "No caning for you today. Now sit down, we'll study about homophones."

I looked at my twin in wonder, thanking him from my eyes. He nodded. He saved us. He saved us!

As we settled down on a chair though, the teacher gave us a notebook and a pencil and started his lecture. Well, even this wasn't too bad.

* * *

 **Long time, no see! This was short, and no deaths today! New year is coming, and I didn't feel like spoiling your mood by killing your character. Personally, I liked the last POV the best. It got too long though; I just couldn't stop. Please share your thoughts on this chapter.**

 **By the way, I haven't decided my victor yet. There are a few people who I think can be there, and some people who might just live… or die. ;) Anyway, I have to think on that right now.**

 **So, can any of you spell 'honorificabilitudinitatibus'? Or pronounce it? I honestly can't do either, so if you can, you have my utmost respect. This was in a Shakespearean play, I think. Blame him for this torture.**

 **Also, 254 reviews?! Like, what?! Thanks people. Your support is really appreciated. Thank you all!**

 **Have an amazing New Year ahead! :)**

 **PS: It's not letting me upload my docs easily...**


	26. Chapter 26

**The First Night**

 **Talon Darqet (15) D5M**

So many deaths. So. Many. Deaths. Six people had died. Deena... I felt tears pricking my eyes again. She was so young. So strong. So independent. I wiped my eyes , not wanting to let anyone see them. But what did it matter? What did anything matter?

I hugged my knees and rubbed my arms. It was really cold in this room. And dark. I had tried to stay outside because it might have been safer. I didn't know but I felt as if the Careers were nearby. However, the wind was so cold outside that as soon as I opened the door my teeth started chattering uncontrollably, and my body jerked involuntarily and so I knew that if I stayed out I would have died of cold.

So I had to stay put. There were tables in the hall, and joining two of them I made up a bed of sorts and now I was on it, huddled in a corner. Outside the moon shone brightly. Too brightly actually. It cast really eerie shadows that prevented even the thought of sleep.

They reminded me of everything bad. My dead District Partner, my own horrible situation and bleak chances, Sasha's hospitalisation, my family and Violet and how far away they were. How I may never see them again...

I shuddered again at that. And by any chance was I going to get any sponsor gifts? I couldn't get anything at the cornucopia. It was too chaotic. Too many bodies. Too much blood...

But how would I get an sponsor gifts? My mentor was in no condition to send them over. I had no idea whether he was even alive. But I really hoped he was. I really did. After everything he tried to do for me, he had no right to leave.

I sighed. Just thinking about Sasha made me feel better. He had faith in me. He really did.

And I couldn't break that trust...

* * *

 **Gretchen Golden (18) D1F**

"I think we should put it off for tomorrow."

"No. They'd be caught unaware right now."

"I agree," I replied, passing the water bottle to Raze, "Nobody expects anything at night."

"Someone should stay here too, lest somebody comes along."

As such King's suggestion sounded quite innocent but it just didn't feel that way for some reason. I looked his way and found him smiling at me. Not smirking but smiling and that was when I knew he was up to something.

"But who...?"

"Why not you, Appalachia?"

"I could say the same for you, King."

"Oh but you won't. Honestly, if anyone comes along you will be their worst nightmare."

"Thank you for your words but I differ from you on that point."

"I will stay back," Raze said.

"Oh no," Mira said, "I will stay here in case my District Partner returns. And maybe Gretchen can keep me company?"

I looked at her in the eye. It was weird that she would want me to stay back. But after analysing the other options...

"Fine. No problem."

I didn't even know why I agreed. I wanted to go out and get some kills but something told me, something told me it was a bad idea. That staying back was a safe option. And although I never cared about safety, tonight I didn't want to take any risk.

"Cool," Mira said, "Anyway, I am tired after all the excitement."

"Fine. Appalachia, you go and check in the eastern side. Raze, we'll follow the western path."

It seemed as if Appalachia had a problem with King's suggestion. Or order. Whatever it was. However, she simply smirked and nodded, taking up her sabre.

Raze didn't look very happy with the development either. Going with King was a bad idea. I was sure he didn't want that.

"I will just take a look outside this- this castle."

"Going outside will be dangerous for you, Raze. We know Sage is outside, and he has an ally too. That weird cat girl and our friend from Four may overpower us if we are alone," King interrupted.

"He is right," Mira said, "Going outside isn't a nice idea."

I for one, saw no reason for this sentiment. Outside and inside were same here. We were attacked by tables during the day. How worse could it be outside?

"Fine," I said, "Let's keep it this way. Good luck guys."

Raze nodded at me and the three of them left the hall. Something told me this wasn't going to go as planned...

* * *

 **Ashleigh Micas (18) D12M**

Erin was dead... It was such a weird thought. Less than twenty hours ago she was around. She was talking about how it was a mistake to trust Nine. I didn't agree. But now... now what?

Nine killed Erin.

Shot her with the arrow.

I knew it was a mistake. Why would she kill a tribute with whom she was going to make a truce? It just wasn't right. But then, this was the arena. People did just about anything here.

I thought of Armite as I hugged my knees. My sweet little sister. Had she eaten anything at all today? Was she watching? I gritted my teeth at the thought. She was six. Six. Too young to see all that blood...

A sudden movement outside in the corridor alerted me of unwanted presence nearby. Holding my breath, I waited for some sound or something else. There was someone coming my way.

Looking at my right, I found a pile of desks, waiting to be used. As quickly as I could, I dived behind it and peeped through the small space.

The door opened softly and somebody stepped in. They stood there motionless. There was something in their hands, something like a bow. I couldn't see who it was in the moonlight but the shadow... there was no mistaking it. It was her. It was Nine.

The one person I didn't want to see right now.

She crept towards the chairs, her weapon ready at hand. Slowly, I crawled away from the desks, keeping her in my line of sight the whole time. As she inspected the chairs cautiously to see if anyone was there, I crept up on her, sword held in hand tightly.

She breathed a sigh of relief and then tensed. She must have heard me. Without turning around she asked in a fearful voice, "Who- who is it?"

"Drop the bow, Nine."

"Ashleigh...?"

"Drop the bow."

She lowered her bow to the ground and then turned around slowly. In the moonlight not much of her was visible but I saw something like bleakness in her eyes.

I lowered my weapon slightly. She had killed Erin on accident...

"Ashleigh, I hope you can forgive me. It- it wasn't intentional."

I drew my lips in a straight line. I knew it wasn't intentional too but that didn't change the fact. I sighed.

"I know."

We just stood in silence, looking at each other in the moonlight. Her hair she had untied, and now thet were swaying gently in the mild breeze.

And then, before either of us could say a word, the noise outside alerted us of the chaos approaching...

* * *

 **Sel Raze (17) D2M**

King was silent during the entirety of our raid. Sure, it suited me, but his silence was honestly creeping me out at this point. Our footsteps were echoing into the darkness of the night however much we tried to avoid it.

"We should slow down."

"Not really, Raze. At this point everyone would be sleeping. Nobody will hear us."

"What if they do?" I asked, slowing down my pace, lowering my voice to a hushed whisper.

He rolled his eyes at me. "You are a Career," he replied, "None of it should bother you."

"You don't tell me what should or shouldn't bother me."

Usually, talking back like that wasn't something I did. But this guy was scaring me. Earlier today I had seen him on his knees and mutter something before drawing circles on the floor with his hands. I had heard something about prayers before but this- this didn't look like it.

"Yeah fine."

We continued to walk in silence, windows allowing some moonlight inside. Out there in the open, the leaves and branches seemed to be dancing gently. However, it only made the whole situation creepier. It was as if the trees knew something I didn't, and that they were trying to warn me of some danger up ahead. Of course, being in the Games itself was dangerous, but right now... something felt wrong. Like really wrong.

"There's someone in there," King whispered as he came to an abrupt halt. I stopped too, and strained my ears to listen. There was nothing that I could hear. I was about to say so, when King held up his hand to silence me. Slowly he trudged towards a closed door and was about to open it when he stopped.

"What?"

"You should see who it is."

"Why not just you?"

"Oh come in Raze!" he spoke in a loud voice, louder than what was required, "Don't be this way!"

The sound inside the room ceased and I glared at King. It was all his fault.

"You warned them of our presence!" I said and then pushed him aside. Now all was done, and there was no point in concealing myself.

And so, I opened the door immediately, only to find two people looking up at me...

* * *

 **Nine Price (15) D3F**

All hell broke lose at that point.

The Careers had arrived, and they looked really mad right now. Mad but gleeful, and I couldn't make up my mind on what was worse.

I snatched up my bow hastily from the ground and pulled at my arrow.

"Please Nine," Raze said,"If you aim at one of us you might hit the other."

King smirked as I turned red. "But be careful," he said, "Or you might end up shooting yourself."

Now, I knew I wasn't a genius at archery but that was a really hurtful comment. I wouldn't shoot myself with my own arrow.

The boys entered the room casually, weapons held on the side. Ashleigh held up his sword.

"We don't want a fight. Leave."

"Ah yes, but we want a fight Ashleigh. We are bored."

And with that, King stepped back a bit while Sel took the centre, holding his trident confidently.

Within a blink of the eye, the sound of metal clashing against metal filled the room. Sel gave Ashleigh no room to attack and he was left only with defence. Sel struck and Ashleigh parried.

The Career struck at his knee, and Ashleigh swerved to avoid that, but got hit in the shin instead.

"AAAHHHH!" he cried out in pain, his voice loud and guttural.

"No Ashleigh!"

I took aim at Sel, who just raised his brows at me. My hands were shaking now. What if I missed? Ashleigh was close by. What if I hit him instead?

"Go on, Nine," King said, "Shoot him."

I gritted my teeth. It was horrible, feeling so helpless. Sel and Ashleigh were fighting again, but for how long?

"Help him out, Nine!"

"Shut up!" I screamed and took an aim at him. He didn't even flinch when I shot my arrow.

Which had to hit the wall right next to him. He sighed very dramatically which only made me want to stab him in the neck with the same arrow.

Nearby, the two boys went on attacking each other when Sel gave out a scream this time. But he didn't give up and soon they were battling again.

"Come on Ashleigh!" King said, "What will your sister be thinking, looking at you right now?"

The mention of Armite had the desired effect. Ashleigh was distracted for a second, and then Sel shoved the trident into his chest.

"RUN!" he cried as he fell to the ground, hand pressed over his chest. Blood oozed out from the wound as Ashleigh gasped for breath.

"No... no!"

"Run...!"

And I stepped back even as Sel looked at me. King hadn't even moved from his place.

I ran. I ran towards the windows, even as the cannon rung. I dived through one of them even as I felt the trident brush past me.

I kept on running, running through the tall grass, the trees looming over me. Ashleigh was dead. Dead... how could he die?!

I stumbled over and fell, groaning in pain as I scraped my leg. But the pain wasn't because of that. Ashleigh died. Died because I couldn't help him. I cried out in frustration.

Fatigue and exertion was taking over now. And sadness. Accute sadness. And just as I was falling I heard another cannon roar...

* * *

 **King Tychun (18) D1M**

Nine escaped out of the room, even as Raze's trident missed her narrowly. It didn't matter. She was weak, and didn't really pose a threat.

I reached out for the arrow that was sticking from the wall right beside me. Pulling it out, I glanced at the corpse of Ashleigh. That was one big threat out of the running. It couldn't have been better.

"Well done Raze," I said, "You took out the biggest threat."

"Yeah but the girl got away."

"No matter. The girl is weak."

"Guess we should go back?" he asked as he limped towards me.

"Not just yet," I replied smoothly, "I need to get a kill too."

"I don't want to go hunting when I am hurt."

"Oh but we don't have to go anywhere."

And I attacked him with my sword. He wasn't ready, and managed to duck at the last second. However, my sword left a deep gash in his side.

"What the hell!" he cried out.

"I am sorry, Raze, but it's honestly time for you to go."

And then I attacked him again, but this time he blocked my attack. I swung my leg and hit him in the side, just where I had cut him earlier.

He howled in pain, and using his distracted state, I attacked him again rather forcefully. His trident was knocked aside, and before he could say or do anything, I pushed the sword into his neck.

The cannon rung instantly.

That was good. It would have been extremely uncomfortable had he lived long enough to talk.

I leaned back against the wall, taking in a deep breath. It was cold tonight.

Now it was time I went back to the cornucopia and told my allies of Raze's sad demise. How we ran into Ashleigh and they fought. How the boy from Twelve killed our ally, and how I avenged him by taking out Ashleigh. Nobody needed to know the truth. And anyway, two threats eliminated.

For whatever they would say, none of them would be actually sad to know about Raze's death. It had to happen eventually. And the fact that Ashleigh was gone too would only make the mood back there celebratory.

So I cut a gash on my arm with my sword and one on my leg too. They should think that I was involved in the fight as well.

Taking one sweeping glance around the room, I opened the door and walked out, seeing my allies' shocked faces already in my mind.

* * *

 **Ah, this is late, but what did you think of this chapter? Did you expect any of these deaths anytime soon? I am honestly very sad about it for I loved them both so much.**

 **Eulogies:**

 **18th- Ashleigh Micas: Ashleigh was a really good character, a crowd favourite and one of my favourites too. His relationship with his sister was just so adorable and real. But I knew it could be his weakness too, and that's what happened. It was honestly so much fun to write him. Rest in peace Ashleigh.**

 **17th- Sel Raze: I guess this was a shock, because it was for me. Raze was honestly a really good character. He was a Career, somewhat compassionate but not exactly. He was just the right mix and had a great personality. However, it was time for one of the Careers to go, and sadly it was Raze. I will miss writing him. Rest in peace, Raze.**

 **Yeah so that was it. It's tough writing on my phone, and I haven't proofread or spell checked it. So yeah, please excuse the errors in this.**

 **Have a great day!**


	27. Chapter 27

**The Second Day**

 **Illea Calhage (16) D6F**

The one thing that was definitely crazy was the cold.

I couldn't catch a minute of sleep here due to the biting chill in the dungeons. Now why I decided to come here, I didn't know. Anya had sent some sandwiches and a blanket along with a knife when I was still out in the open but even these luxuries felt small here.

There were too many rooms here, something that bothered me and excited me at the same time. Anything could happen! Mutts, tributes, whatever.

But what about the cold?

I wrapped the blanket around myself, sitting on a bench in an empty classroom. I didn't know how long I'd been here. An hour? Five? Maybe ten? I had no idea. I only knew I was feeling drowsy now.

What followed sure provided for excitement.

The door swung open and in came the last people I had expected here in the dungeons. My District partners were just as shocked as I was and for a moment all we did was stare at each other, gaping.

"Uh hi?" I said, not actually wanting it to sound like a question but it did anyway.

"Hi," Raylic said back with a smile. Roslin raised his brows.

"Why are you here?" he asked bluntly.

"Um, trying to stay awake?" I replied, which again sounded like a question.

"Illea, you should hide fast or-"

"You stupid girl!"

I looked behind the twins to find a really battered looking old man. He was bent double due to age and had thin bones and a really scaly skin. But his eyes held a darkness that was quite unmatched.

"Uh..."

"Where are your manners?!"

"Sir," Raylic said, "She's new here. She doesn't know you. Illea, this is Mr. Vector, our Maths teacher."

Maths teacher?

I had honestly thought it was just an empty school! Goodness, if this teacher was a mutt...

"Good morning, sir," I said, wondering if it was morning. I hoped it was.

"Good morning girl!" he said, "Now answer my question. State the laws of vector addition."

What now? Did he actually expect me to remember that at a time like this?!

"Uh triangle law and parallelogram law?"

"Is that an answer or a question?"

Raylic gulped quite audibly at that which earned him a glare from his twin.

"A-answer."

"Well done! Now, add these two vectors on the board."

Uh oh.

As soon as he said that, I knew it was a gone case. Roslin tightened his grip on his but my own knife was in the bag Anya had sent and that itself was in the other side of the room.

It was over. Over.

 **Roslin Chevalier (16) D6M**

Illea took the chalk from Vector when he offered it to her after writing down the question. Personally, I knew nothing about vectors, so I couldn't really help her out. Therefore, there was only one thing to do.

Escape.

Slowly, I started stepping back. Raylic turned towards me and hissed in my ear, "What're you doing?"

"Getting us out," I whispered back, "His attention isn't on us right now. We can make a quick exit."

"Roslin! That's so cheap! What about her?!"

"What about her?"

I honestly couldn't understand what he wanted. Sure, Illea had been really good to us, especially compared to what we had gone through our entire lives. Had it been any other year, I would have even rooted for her. But at this time, I couldn't take this risk. After all, it wasn't just about me; Raylic was of paramount importance right now.

So ignoring his harsh comments about my cheapness, I edged closer to the door, eyes fixed on the back of Vector's head. We had to get out of here, and seeing that I had met like four 'teachers' already, it wasn't going to be easy.

"It's wrong!" Vector snarled, "Insolent brat! You know nothing!"

"I-I'm sorry, s-sir?"

"IS THAT A QUESTION?"

"N-No," Illea said, fear etched on her face. She was moving back now, trembling, until she bumped against the blackboard.

What happened next froze my blood.

Vector raised his hand and pushed it towards her. And then the hand detached itself from his arm and went soaring towards her abdomen. It was gruesome as I knew what would happen but I couldn't look away however hard I tried.

The hand went through her abdomen and twisted itself in there, drawing blood. But it wasn't just blood and hearing her loud, animalistic cries, I finally closed my eyes, unable to move an inch from the spot.

The cannon rung.

And then the bloody hand came for us.

However, all feeling had left me. I couldn't move although I knew it was fatal now.

And then something was pulling at my leg. A hand... but Vector's hand was still coming towards us. I yelped as I was pulled right into the cold marble floor as it opened up like a crocodile's mouth.

The cannon rung.

But-but what was happening?!

There was darkness all around us, and I was lying down on the floor? It felt that way. My legs were still hurting but the hand had let go. Upwards, I saw the floor closing up.

We were alive. We were actually alive.

Before either of us could say anything, a hand clasped on our mouths each and a voice whispered, "Don't say a thing."

The familiar voice gave me a heart attack. Was it- how?!

"Come on boys," my mentor said, giving us a hug, "It's time to leave."

"How did you do it?!" we asked in unison. Was it a dream? It had to be- nobody had survived the arena.

"That's for me and my friends to know. Come on now."

"Why not Illea?" I asked bluntly.

"It could have been one of you," Anya replied, her voice shaking. It seemed as if she was trying hard to not cry.

"And- and rescuing you meant saving two people."

A really emotional answer, something that my brother seemed to have accepted, because now we were hugging her back again.

Her emotions all seemed fake to me.

There had to be a motive for this. Anya wasn't what she portrayed herself to be and that was something I could bet my everything on. But Raylic had bought it and right now it seemed as if I'd have to go with the flow too.

"Come on," she said again, giving us two spectacles. Putting them on, I could see we were in a rocky passage. She started leading us away into the depths of the passage.

This was going to be a long journey.

 **Fancy "Kitty" Viridian (15) D8F**

The garden was turning more into a jungle now. The trees were wild and unkempt, growing just about everywhere and blocking a majority of the sunlight. It was a shame because the cool breezes were bordering on bring cold. However, that was still better than last night when I thought that my end would come due to cold. Now that would have been a truly shameful situation.

"I think we should stop," I muttered hopefully. Sage had us walking since dawn and my legs hurt a lot right now.

"Can't," he said outrightly, " We have no water. We need to find a source."

"Charles sent two bottles this morning," I protested.

"Yeah and I appreciate it. But we can only use them for so long. And Kitty, keep in mind that a couple of days later we'll not be sponsored water."

He had made a valid point, something that I couldn't deny. So I meowed in annoyance, earning a chuckle from my... ally? Were we allies? I thought we were but I didn't know how or why this happened. It just did. Maybe it was Sage's childish face or maybe it was just my own kind heart, but I couldn't help but feel bad for him.

"I am tired!" I declared, throwing my arms upwards, "And it's all because of you!"

"Me?" he asked in disbelief, "How me?"

"You're making a beautiful cat long distances when she doesn't want to," I replied, folding my arms across my chest, "And that is a very rude behaviour."

"Then what do you suggest?" he asked, a small smile coming on his lips. I grinned and purred and then answered, "Carry me on your back!"

The words were enough to make him feel weak, and soon he buckled on his knees.

"Man I just recovered because of those medicines!" he protested.

"At least you've recovered," I said slowly, "While I was keeping watch last night and you were snoring and drooling at the same time."

Ten minutes later we were still travelling, but I was resting on his back, my hands clutching his shoulder blades tightly.

"Meow!" I squeeled gleefully.

"Geez, I can't believe cats can be so annoying," he grumbled. A second later he yelled in annoyance as I blew air in his ear.

"What did I do to deserve this?!" he groaned.

"Meowww!"

"Yeah I told got that."

And then we laughed out together at the stupid situation. Maybe I was projecting myself as weak right now, but it honestly felt so nice and different to have someone who laughed with me genuinely. Before this there hadn't been a person who put up with me and my eccentric mannerisms without being afraid of me. Yes, it was definitely a nice change.

I wished we would stay just like this till we were alive.

 **Lennon Pareski (12) D11M**

"Judah, who do you think could have... gone?" I asked, pulling my legs up to my chest.

"I don't know Lennon. I am sure one of them are the boys from Six. And I guess the girl from Three."

"Who'll be next?"

I tried to sound casual but apparently it wasn't working. My fear and anxiety just flowed into my voice despite every attempt I made to keep it out.

"It can be anyone."

I couldn't understand why Judah was being so cold. Even I was upset that Durain was dead; he had our best interests in mind, but I wasn't reciprocating Judah's coldness. She had refused to speak or to sleep and when I woke up in the morning there were dark circles under her eyes.

"What's wrong Judah?" I asked calmly.

"Nothing."

"You should get some sleep."

"Not the time Lennon. Anything can happen."

"We're on second floor," I said, "I don't think anyone's coming up here."

"That's where you're wrong," she said and then sighed, the first reaction I had seen from her ever since Durain died. It was honestly a relief to see her expressing something at least.

"Why are all these rooms so bare?!" she said angrily, "I hate it!"

And with that she kicked away the chair in front of her before letting her face fall in her hands.

Hesitatingly, I grabbed her shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

"If we explore more we'll surely find something that isn't desk, chair or mutt."

"I can't- I don't- This situation's just stupidly stupid!" she screamed, "We've got no food! No water! Nothing!"

"Please don't mention that," I pleaded, "It makes me thirsty!"

"There's not a single tap on this whole damn floor or the first floor! This- this is- ugh!"

With that she went silent again and covered her face with her hands. I hugged her gingerly and was both astounded and relieved when she didn't push me away.

"There's no good that'll come out of complaining," she said, abruptly standing up, "I'll go down and look for water and find some food for us."

"You can't go alone!" I cried, "It'll be dangerous!"

"No Lennon. You should-"

"Come on Judah!" I snapped, "Don't tell me I should stay here because it'll be safe for me, because it won't. You yourself said anyone could come here too!"

"Fine," she said, grabbing my hand gently but with a firmness, "But of you see any danger, just run."

"I will."

We left the room and I felt a rising sense of dread. I didn't want to stay behind all alone though. Well, I could only hope we wouldn't be running into people anytime soon.

* * *

In the Capitol...

"Anya, I congratulate you on getting a tribute out of the arena safe and sound," Cress said with a smile.

"Thanks Cress," the girl replied.

"Where are they now?" Haley inquired, her voice still sounding worried. Ever since she had shot down Sasha, there had been a sense of sadness around her. She hadn't exactly smiled either.

"They're with Doctor Miranda," Anya answered, "They'll have to get themselves checked and their appearances changed to survive."

"Miranda will take good care of them," Cress said, his eyes focused on the door of the room. This whole structure was made around thirteen years ago as a backup secret base when the rebels had started plotting against President Winter. Of course, Snow had later found out the actual secret base but this one was still hidden and secure.

"Who're you waiting for?" Anya asked as she sat down beside Haley, "You keep looking at the door again and again."

"I'm waiting for Alan. He- he said he wanted us to meet somebody special."

"Special, huh?"

"I didn't like the glee in his eyes when he said that," Haley said, a frown forming on her face, "It was almost... crazy. There was a madness in them. And Alan is the most sensible one out of all of us."

"I know," Cress sighed, "I-I'm worried for him. He hasn't been himself lately."

"Is that so?" Anya asked. She didn't know Alan very well because even after joining the rebellion she had interacted with Alan the least.

"Yeah," Cress said, his face full of an unhidden interest, "Like, these days he actually laughs and jokes! I mean, how? How can someone who's always thinking about evils of the universe actually laugh?! And he's starting giving hugs and all and is actually pretty sweet now instead of the sulking little brat that he was!"

Haley cleared her throat at her friend's words, and maybe that was the only thing that stopped the flow in which Cress was describing his fellow rebel. He gave the other two a smile that was sheepish.

"Here he is!" Anya said, getting up as Alan stepped into the room. There was a smirk on his face, his eyes glinting in a really dangerous way. Cress' earlier grin was gone while Haley was simply worried about the change in his behaviour.

Without a word, Alan stepped aside.

"WHAT?!" Haley cried out, her eyes widening in shock, her mouth ajar as if she had just seen a ghost. She stepped back fearfully and so did Cress, his eyes staring in disbelief. Anya looked back and forth between them and the new visitor.

But Haley remembered him as clearly as if she had seen hom just yesterday; platinum blond hair, pale eyes, a warm but tired smile. She finally understood why Alan's behaviour had changed so much. Without saying a thing, she sunk into a chair, her eyes unable to leave that so familiar face.

"Hi Hales," Regal Winter said with a smile, "It's amazing to see you again."

* * *

 **Hi all! What are your thoughts on this chapter? Whose POV did you like best? I know the twins made it out alive, and I can't promise it won't happen again because I'm not really following cannon. Anyway, I really need to know how you will react if you see your dead best friend after twelve years, all alive and smiling and looking not a day older than what his age was when he died? I don't think I'll manage as well as Haley did; I might even have a heart failure or something. In the next chapter, we'll hear from other tributes from whom we've not heard in a while. So yeah, please let me know your opinion on this chapter.**

 **Eulogies:**

 **16th: Illea Calhage- Illea was honestly so fun and different. Her adventurous and fearless nature made her very unique. It was great writing her. Rest in peace Illea, you will be missed.**

 **15th: Roslin and Raylic Chevalier- These two are technically alive but I still think this is needed. These two characters were really deep and extremely difficult to write. I have no idea how the body of conjoined twins work and I couldn't understand properly when I searched it up. I tried to do my best from my own understanding and I hoped it wasn't too bad. Out of the two, I honestly preferred Raylic, although I liked Roslin too. I hope these two enjoy life.**

 **Okay, so what do you think is the real reason behind Anya saving these two instead of Illea? Is it really the reason she gave?**

 **Have a great day everyone!**

 **PS: It doesn't let me upload from my PC so I guess you will have to get used to mobile chapters...**


	28. Chapter 28

**The Second Night**

 **Judah Pocks (16) D10F**

I had never thought that this day would also come. That I would be wandering in a castle-or school- with a twelve-year-old boy in search of water. There had never been any problem back in Ten regarding water, or food, or this biting cold. Over here, however, this 'trivial' things just made me realise how puny I was. How insignificant, and how pathetic!

"Judah…" Lennon whispered, suddenly coming to a halt, "I…can't…"

"Hold on," I whispered back, not having the strength to speak anymore, "We'll figure out something…"

I hoped so, at least. My parched throat was restricting my speech, and seemed to suffocate me in a way. I could do without food, but water? No. Simply no.

 _Oh God, please help us out. Please._

"What're you doing?" Lennon asked as he sat down on the marble floor at last, and then proceeded to simply lie down. I wasn't very happy with his condition. If we didn't get water, we'd never survive this place. A very horrible thought crossed my mind. What if-what if there wasn't _any_ water source here?! What would we do then?! I fell on my knees, trembling due to the cold, tears brimming up in my eyes. That couldn't be the case…No…

"Judah?"

"I'm-I'm fine."

"Somebody's coming our way," Lennon said, getting to his feet swiftly.

What? I strained my ears to listen to it but I couldn't hear anything. How did he know?

"Lennon I think-"

Before I could complete my sentence on what I thought, I saw a terrified boy in front of me, coming up from the staircase. I stepped back as I saw him and he too backed into the wall behind the stairs.

"What do you want?" I asked, pulling Lennon behind me so that I stood like a shield between the two boys.

"I-I was just trying to find a place that isn't so-so cold," Talon replied timidly, "Honestly, I just stumbled upon you all!"

I drew the knife out that I had seized at the cornucopia. His eyes widened when he saw it and immediately his lips started to quiver.

"Please- please don't! I-I swear I'll just leave!"

"Do you have some water?" Lennon asked.

I shot him a look at that and he pouted. How could he ask for water from any random person in this situation?!

"Yes," Talon replied at once, "Water's the only thing I've got. You want a sip?"

"Yes please!" Lennon spoke up immediately too, "We're very thirsty. We've been looking for a tap or anything of the sort since morning but we've been unable to find anything at all."

I lowered the knife now. What was the point of keeping it pointed at the boy when my little ally had decided to befriend him? Slowly, hesitantly, he started towards us after pulling out a water bottle from a pouch wrapped around his waist.

He brought a shaking hand forward, the bottle in it, and I snatched it immediately. Uncorking it, I handed it to Lennon first, who drank lustily. It was as if… a thirsty man had found water. I could honestly make no better comparison. By the time he handed over the bottle to me, I was ready to kick him to make him give it over anyway.

For the first time, I appreciated the worth of something as common as water.

* * *

 **Appalachia Bryce (18) D2F**

There was something going on in the alliance, something I was unaware of. And I honestly didn't like it.

After Raze's mysterious ending, King had returned to the cornucopia with a really haunted look on his face. He explained in a lot of detail about what happened, how he tried to help Raze but couldn't, and how he avenged our ally. He spoke this with enough truth in his voice, but this truth wasn't enough to convince me. I had a gut feeling that he was lying. Not only lying, but manipulating us.

I wasn't okay with being manipulated.

At the time, I praised him for his courage and for taking down a serious competitor but in reality, I took it quite personally that he'd betray my District Partner and then lied to me. No, I wasn't fond of Raze or anything, and I didn't care about him, but what if he was referred to as 'Appalachia's district partner'? that wasn't something that I looked forward to.

Right now, all of them had set out to go 'tribute hunting' again. They wanted to look outside but I wasn't really in favour of it.

"We haven't checked the upper floors," I said, taking a bite at the apple in my hand.

"Who'll be there on the upper floors?" Mirabel asked, turning her head towards me. That insignificant woman! She too was hiding something from all of us, I could bet on it.

"I don't know," Gretchen said, "Somebody might be up there. However, we don't know how man floors there are in this place."

"We'll just take a sweeping glance," I insisted, "That way we'll also know this place better."

Mirabel didn't look pleased with this arrangement. She glanced at King, who chose to remain silent throughout the course, and he nodded at her very slightly. It was such a small nod that I would have missed it had I not been observing them so keenly.

"Fine," she said, "I'm bored of staying in this place anyway."

Looked like I had won.

But when we couldn't find anyone even on the third floor, I was very much aware of the glares that the other three were giving me. Not that I cared; I knew that we would find somebody soon enough. It was almost as if I could smell them out. I wouldn't deny the elation it gave me to think that I was only a little away from a kill. After all, I was the one who got a single kill despite it being the final fourteen already. That was a big humiliation for I was sure that by now my record would have been slightly better than _one_ kill.

"There's someone up there," Gretchen whispered and we came to a halt. Sure enough, I could hear hushed voices from the fourth floor. I wondered if they heard us from the staircase but it didn't seem so, considering they were still talking. There had to be a least two people up there. Finally, I'd be drawing blood…

Slowly, we sneaked up the stairs, Mirabel leading the way. She came to an abrupt halt which resulted in me bumping against King.

"There are three of them here," she whispered. My heart started pounding at that. Three tributes… if I killed even two of them, I'd have set a clear record. Sponsors were bound to send stuff my way when and if I'd desert these people. I'd be popular and would have a solid support back in the Capitol. Victory would be much more certain, if nothing else.

I pushed past King and Mirabel and stopped at the landing. Oh goodness, all of them were young too! They hadn't even realised we were here, looking at them as they talked about something, passing a single water bottle around. The girl had a knife, but that was it. They were defenceless.

"THE CAREERS ARE HERE!"

Wow, Talon's scream had been right on time. The three children stepped away from us, but where could they go? My heart felt light at seeing their expressions. Their faces defined the word 'fear', with little Lennon's lips quivering, and Talon shaking on the spot while Judah's widened eyes told the story of her fear pretty well. I smirked.

"Good evening… friends."

Behind me, Gretchen giggled and Mirabel smirked too. King simply leaned against the wall and watched them with an amusement in his eyes.

"Please," Lennon pleaded, "We-we'll just go! We don't- we don't-"

"You don't _what_?" King asked softly, which earned him a few more chuckles.

"We don't want to fight! Please…"

"Nobody wants to fight," Gretchen said, keeping her face straight.

"Yeah, we're only here to play," Mirabel added solemnly.

"It's the _Games_ after all," I said with a shrug.

"Go away," Judah said bluntly, "We don't want a fight. Not at this time of the night anyway. Just leave."

"That's rude!" King commented, letting a smirk play across his lips finally.

But really, who did she think she was? How dare she talk to us that way?! It was time I showed them their place.

* * *

 **Mirabel "Mira" Grant (17) D4F**

The moment Judah opened her mouth, I knew Appalachia would be mad at her.

In all honesty, her bluntness made me laugh. So, she wanted to go out in a heroic way, huh? Fine by me. However, annoying someone like Appalachia wasn't a very good idea, and it was evident in the way she charged at them.

Thinking that she would continue head on, they scattered out, but Appalachia was smarter than what they thought, and struck from the left as soon as Lennon threw himself in that direction. Her sabre sliced his neck, the cannon ringing instantly to announce that she was successful.

The glint in her eyes was the real spectacle.

"NO!" Judah cried out, her eyes unable to leave the corpse of her young friend.

"No…" she whispered, "This can't happen… NOOO!"

"Ah, don't cry honey," Appalachia said, preparing herself to strike again, "You'll see him soon."

But before either of them could do anything, Gretchen attacked Judah. The two girls fought like cats and dogs, and although Judah was much more hurt than Gretchen in the first few blows itself, she was holding well. Appalachia was obviously disgruntled by this, but she changed her target to young Talon. He too did a good job at avoiding blows, and was soon running towards the stairs.

"No don't!" I called out after Appalachia as she proceeded to follow him. But like always, she didn't pay heed to what I had to say, and ignoring my words, she followed him down the stairs anyway. I had never seen anyone _that_ intent to kill.

A loud gasp from Gretchen brought my attention to their fight. Judah had stabbed her in the gut, then hit her head with her elbow. Despite being injured, Gretchen shot her knife forward again, but Judah swayed out of the way, narrowly avoiding the knife. She pulled out her own knife back from Gretchen's gut, which led to another ear-splitting scream from her, and then Judah sliced it against her neck.

Gretchen's limp body fell on the floor with a _thud_ , her blood dripping on the white marble. The cannon exploded, announcing her death. None of us moved.

Judah gave us a scared glance and then, seeing that neither of us was moving, she grabbed her knife and fled along the corridor, turning right at the fork when it came.

"We should have helped her, I guess," I said lazily.

"Not really. It was a good show we just witnessed," King replied matter-of-factly. I laughed.

"One big threat down."

"What will be really amusing," he said, "Is if Appalachia dies by the hands of that wimp from Five."

"That will be a scene," I agreed.

"We'll have to look for her, right?"

"She won't like a betrayal, no," I replied and then sighed, "Coe on, let's see where she is."

He nodded at me and the two of us departed, leaving the body of our dead ally behind.

* * *

 **Ryder Venison (16) D10M**

"What is this place?" Nikona asked, looking around the vast hall with its many chandeliers. Rows of platforms were built there, with lots of machines that looked like silver coloured boxes. In a corner was a huge door like thing, but it too was metal and painted silver. The room was bare as such, but the one thing that caught my attention was the sink at the end, with a tap.

A tap.

A smile broke on my face. This was what we needed the most right now. Sure, we had water, but that had to be replenished. In this school, we had managed to find the source of water.

"I think I have an idea," I replied, "I think this is the kitchen."

"The kitchen?" he asked in surprise, "All we've seen till now are classrooms."

"But in a school this big, there has to be a kitchen," I reasoned, "In fact, I think this is a boarding school. If we look hard, we might find the dormitories somewhere too."

"What good will that be?" Nikona asked sulkily, "If there are dorms, we'll simply be attacked by the pillows."

In this place, a pillow mutt was more than likely, but him suggesting it was so bizarre that I laughed out.

"Come on, there must be something here."

I led the way deeper into the kitchen, when I noticed there were cabinets below the various platforms. Gingerly, I opened one of them, ready to dodge if something came out of it suddenly. However, all I saw was rows of canned food, and a few bars of chocolate.

"Nikona, I think we should settle here," I said with a smile, "We'll certainly not starve."

He crouched down beside me and looked in. Hesitantly, he grabbed a chocolate bar and pulled it out.

"Are you sure this is edible?" he asked doubtfully.

"Yeah, I think it is."

He pulled out the wrapper slowly, as if expecting something weird like a hand come out of it, but what was inside was plain chocolate.

"See? No need to worry."

"Ryder… this doesn't seem right," he said, moving the bar left and right, "I think we should leave."

"Nikona," I argued, "This place is perfect! We won't ever have to worry about supplies!"

He didn't press the point further, although I knew he was still not sold on the idea of this being a good place. Well, we'd check out the metal door, which I was certain led to the refrigerator.

"Come on, Nikona, I think there'll be something in the fridge too."

"Ryder, I don't think it's a good idea-"

"Nothing will happen. We'll take one peep and then close it. Come on!"

Reluctantly, he came along with me to the door, holding his hatchet tightly. He was being negative, like always. Although yes, this arena was a place where negative thoughts would only develop further…

I grabbed the vertical handle of the refrigerator and then pulled it open.

It seemed as if I should've had listened to my ally after all…

* * *

 **Maverick Zhao (17) D3M**

I didn't want to help her out.

My aunt had been betrayed by her District Partner too. But at the moment, Nine was lying on the muddy ground, motionless. A parachute lay next to her, which contained some water and food. I had no idea how long she had been unconscious, but checking her pulse I knew she was at least alive. Her bow and arrows were tossed aside, and she lay spread-eagled, mouth slightly open. Her body was very cold.

A part of me thought about deserting her. Why not? Two cannons had rung recently, indicating that only twelve of us were left now. This wasn't a stage to help somebody.

But at the same time, she was young, and it seemed highly cowardly to leave someone in this condition to die on their own. So bending down, I grabbed the water bottle and opened it. Pouring some of the water in my hand, I splashed it on her face, hoping to wake her up. She gave something like a tired groan but didn't open her eyes. Pushing the bottle to her lips and raising her head on my lap, I forced her to drink some water.

Her eyes shot open at that and she gulped in the water faster now. Her breathing was ragged, her chest was heaving and she looked around in bewilderment. She was panting hard and snatched the bottle from my hand, drinking lustily. Slowly, her breathing slowed down, and her panting stopped. It was then she noticed me.

"Maverick?"

"Uh, hi," I said with a smile.

"Wh-where am I?"

"You're in the forest," I replied, "You were passed out here. Sponsors sent you water and food."

I pointed towards the bag that contained food. She ignored it and continued to look at me.

"What-what day is it?"

"The second night," I answered, "We're in the top twelve."

Her jaw dropped at that and she looked at me as if I'd dropped in from outer space. I raised my brows at her.

"I was passed out for a whole _day_?!" she exclaimed, "How- Maverick- thank you so much."

"You're welcome."

"Top twelve, you say?" she asked, and then lied down again, "Who all are… dead?"

"Ashleigh and Raze died last night," I replied, "I've got no idea who it was today. Four cannons had gone off though. Four people died."

"Ashleigh…" she whispered slowly, her voice filled with a sadness I couldn't understand. Were they allies? Had she… betrayed him?

"Was he your ally?"

"Not really," she replied slowly and then sighed, "But we had agreed to make a truce if we met. I-I couldn't help him. The Careers finished him off. I couldn't… He so wanted to go back to his sister."

I knew she felt bad. The pain of not being able to help somebody despite wanting to so desperately was deep. I squeezed her hand gently and was glad when she didn't push me away.

"Thank you, Maverick," she said, "I know you said you don't want to ally-"

"I still won't," I cut off, "I'm sorry Nine. But I can't."

"No, I was just asking if you'd want to have some of the food they sent us. You must be hungry too."

I smiled at her and nodded. Yes, I was hungry and it wasn't a particularly bad idea to have some company for a while either.

So when she pulled the bag towards herself, I crossed my legs and leaned back. After all, everyone needed some time for relaxation.

* * *

 **So, we're in the final twelve! I think it came by a little too quickly, so I guess there will be no deaths next chapter. But no… I have to continue from Ryder's POV, haha. What are your thought on the chapter? What do you think Ryder saw in the refrigerator? Was any death here unexpected?**

 **Eulogies:**

 **14** **th** **: Lennon Pareski- Lennon was such a realistic twelve-year-old. Like, you can see a Lennon in your neighbourhood, he was that realistic. I loved writing for him, his personality was adorable and he was pretty easy to write. However, his time was up. I hope I didn't do too bad with him. He'll be missed.**

 **13** **th** **: Smart, determined and beautiful, Gretchen was an ideal Career. She was a good character, and fun to write. Ultimately, her only mistake was to trust Mirabel, who ditched her when she needed. Rest in peace Gretchen, you'll be truly missed.**

 **So, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Anyway, who do you want to win from the remaining tributes? I think we'll hear from Winnie next chapter, because it's been a while. And Appalachia's POV got a little longer than intended but... I couldn't stop then.**

 **Also go and vote in the poll! :D**

 **Have a great day!**


	29. Chapter 29

**Second Night**

 **Nikona Linwood (16) D7M**

At this time what I wanted to do was slap Ryder hard on the face.

I had warned him about this! The stench was bad enough but the sight… Was this supposed to be served as 'meals' here?!

"This-this can't be- this can't be happening," Ryder whispered, his voice shaking as he took a step back.

Young children, around reaping age, were lying on the floor, wearing the same school uniform that we were. Their heads had been shaven off, and I knew they were pretty dead.

"I think it's the right time to run."

"You know what? I agree with you."

As fast as our legs could carry us, we sprinted towards the main door, when I felt somebody tugging at my shirt. I looked behind, horrified, to see one of the bald children holding it.

"New student?" he asked pleasantly, "Welcome. Let me show you around."

"We've already seen the school, thanks," Ryder cried and pulled me away.

"Oh but it's supper time now!" another student cried out, "We can have peas. Or egg sandwiches. Or cake, if you want. But you'll have to have supper."

"We're not hungry," I said, gripping my hatchet tightly, knowing I'd have to use it soon.

"But it's the rule here," a third dead student muttered, standing up inside the refrigerator, "All the students of the boarding school have to dine together."

"We're sick."

"We'll take you to the infirmary," a fourth one said brightly, "It's just over there. Come along!"

"Uh… hey, why don't you all arrange for some dinner while we just visit the infirmary. We'll be back soon!" I said, trying for a smile but it never came.

"Yeah," Ryder added, smiling at the corpses too, "We'll be back in a second."

"You don't want to be friends with us. That's the thing, right?" the first one asked, the one who had grabbed my shirt.

"No!" Ryder said, "We'll be really good friends! I told you, we'll come back!"

"Everybody says that," the second one said sadly, "Every one of them."

Before I could even blink, five of them jumped up at us, their fingernails growing out abruptly like a bird's talons. I sliced my hatchet in the air, and cut the first one in two. It was the most disgusting thing I'd seen. Blood dripped on the floor as the two halves of his corpse fell side by side. Ryder knocked away another one with his rod and swung it at the rest, forcing them to back away.

We raced towards the door even as the other dead children followed, and threw ourselves out of the room, hastily closing the door and locking it from the outside. The pounding soon began and then there were cries from the children.

"Come on! Come on!" Ryder said, panting as he pulled me away. But I… I simply couldn't get that image out of my head. That kid had been sliced into two. I did that. I did that…

"We- mana-managed to-to get-away!" he panted as we came to a halt, clutching our chests, trying to catch our breath.

"We-we actually did," I said, "Th-this isn't the t-time to d-die then."

His shoulders slumped and he sighed at that.

"You know? I'd actually thought that encounter would have wiped out the 'I'm going to die' thought from your head."

 **Third Day**

 **Winifred "Winnie" Chintz (17) D11F**

There were some berries in front of me that looked really edible right now.

They were red, cherry-like little things that clung to their bushes lovingly. Their look was enough to make a hungry person's mouth water, and so I crouched down in front of it.

But should I eat it? I didn't know anything about the fruit, and it looked a little _too_ beautiful. Looks here were deceiving and that was the only thing keeping me off the fruits. I was so hungry I could eat an elephant right now, and so thirsty I could drink up an entire ocean. But I didn't want to die, and was feeling desperate. What to do…?

I decided against it. At this point, in final twelve, I wasn't ready to go because of eating some stupid berry. So I stood up again, swaying a little as I did so. I wasn't feeling particularly well, and even I knew that my time street fighting and surviving on streets was the only thing that was keeping me going right now.

And then there was Lennon… I couldn't believe he was dead. Honestly, who could bring themselves to kill a sweet child like him? Without meaning to, I had cried when I saw his face in the sky last night. No, not the wailing most people did, but my tears expressed the emotions I felt.

But right now, I was concerned about my own survival.

There was only one way to get supplies now. But where was I going to find tributes to fight? Their supplies had to be snatched. There was one more way but…

I turned towards the castle, the world appearing slightly blurred to my tired eyes. This would be risky, very risky. Were the Careers still at the cornucopia? Were they roaming the castle, looking for their prey? I had no idea.

 _Will I be able to survive an encounter with them?_

I wasn't sure about that. There were three of them and one of me. The odds didn't look in my favour if the said encounter did happen.

There was nothing else to do though, so clenching my fists, I forced myself to walk towards the castle, hoping against hope that the Careers weren't present there.

It was a long and hard journey, and by the time I did reach the cornucopia I was ready to pass out. Still, these instincts had to be fought against, and I took a peek inside the large hall. Apparently, it was empty. That was good, but it wouldn't be long before the Careers were back.

I dashed over to the table and looked at the supplies, spread out in all their glory. I picked up a random bag, a two litre water bottle and a packed of dried fruit and threw it all in the bag. Looking over my shoulder, I saw that nobody was there. I reached out to grab a weapon but that's when I heard the footsteps echoing in the corridor.

There was no way to get out of here. As quickly as I could, took refuge behind the many tables and chairs in the corner. They did a good job of hiding me, but I was certain that my heartbeat was audible miles away.

Crouching low, I waited for my adversaries with bated breath, hoping wouldn't find me.

 **Talon Darqet (15) D5M**

After my encounter with the careers, I'd started believing in miracles.

Right now, I was in this vast room with really tall windows. I still remembered Appalachia at my heels, chasing after me with a sabre. I had done the most reckless thing, something that could have killed me. But honestly it was better to die that way than by her hand.

I had jumped off the third-floor window.

Dramatic, I know. Idiotic even. But it was necessary. As I hung from the ledge between the third and second floors, I hoped that she wouldn't find me. I was literally swinging between life and death at the moment, and had it been a movie scene I would have loved watching it. I was sure the Capitolites were on the edge of their seats too, anticipating an attack from Appalachia.

My grip almost came off when I heard Mirabel call out to my pursuer. _Two_ careers?! How would I get out of this mess?!

However, it turned out that she was only calling her ally back, suggesting to return to the Cornucopia. Appalachia refused, as expected, but then Mirabel reasoned with her that it was a waste of time to chase after me and King told her that she would get ample opportunity to kill later on. Taking a rest would be in their best interests.

Very reluctantly did she agree, and that's how I managed to save my life.

But that was last night. Today, I was all alone again, thinking about meeting Judah and Lennon. He was so young… I had known him for maybe ten minutes, but it was honestly heart-breaking to see him go like that.

Was it just me, or was it really so cold during the day too? Was I ill? I didn't know, but I was trembling uncontrollably. I wished, I wished Sasha would get better and send something. Selfish of me, I knew, but at this point I would be really embarrassed if I died of cold. I had escaped a Career by jumping from third-floor; how could I die of something like cold?

Right now though, that didn't only seem possible, but also probable. How was I to survive this bitter chill? Maybe I should go out in the sun…

 _Somebody will see you and kill you. It'll all be for nothing._

That too could come true. I had pretty rotten luck after all. But this cold…

Slowly, I forced myself on my feet. I'd have to go out in the open to get some warmth. It was not necessary that anyone would find me outside on the grounds, but it was certain that if I wouldn't die, I'd definitely collapse.

Therefore, dragging myself to the long window, I opened it and stepped out into the open. The breeze was soft but just as cold. There were birds overhead, chirping sweetly, some settled on branches, some just hopping on the grass. I saw a grasshopper. Usually, I'd take a look, but not now. Not now. The shadow of the castle was casting too much shade. I had to go further to get some sunlight. I couldn't stand the cold.

And that's when a _chime!_ sound made me halt. A silver parachute dropped next to me at my feet. Stooping down, I reached out for it gingerly and then opened the letter attached.

 _You're doing really well, Talon. I hope these things help you. Sasha is recovering, and just like him, I have faith in you too. Just keep trying. Good luck!_

 _-Micky_

He was recovering? The news was enough to make me feel much warmer and happier than before. I'd been worried sick for him, but I was really glad he was recovering. I was also glad that his wife decided to arrange for sponsors for me.

I rummaged through the bag she had sent. To my utter delight, relief and joy, I found a jacket and a blanket in it. There were a few sandwiches, one more water bottle that was full and a rope.

"Thanks!" I called out, letting Micky know how much I appreciated it. Putting on the jacket quickly, I delighted myself in keeping the letter in my pocket and dragging my bag of supplies back to the room I'd come from.

There was at least no need to wander off in search of sunshine now.

* * *

 **Hello all! No deaths today. I guess we all need filler chapters sometimes, right? So, what are your thoughts on this chapter? Just for the record, Ruby and Micky are the same person, Micky is her fake identity because she's actually presumed dead.**

 **I hope you all voted in the poll. If not, please do. I'll close it by the time next update comes. And please, I allowed up to three options so that even if you vote for your own character, you can vote for two more. So try to use it.**

 **And AmericanPi has started a new partial SYOT "Same, but Different". She's accepting submission now, and is a good author, so I suggest taking a look and sending some characters her way. After all, everyone should get to write for amazing characters. :)**

 **302 reviews?! Thanks so much all of you! It means a lot. Thank you! :)**

 **Have a great day!**


	30. Chapter 30

**Third Day**

 **Mirabel "Mira" Grant (17) D4F**

"I'm thirsty. First I'll have some water and then we'll go looking for tributes," I said.

Ever since we entered this room with the cornucopia again, Appalachia had times that we should go look for tributes. I knew she was angry that Talon got away, and I knew she suspected us right now. After all, there were two of us when Gretchen was dying. We could have taken down Judah. Appalachia knew that we'd have to split soon.

"Make it quick," she growled at me, resting the sabre on the ground. I walked over to the table with all the supplies and grabbed a water bottle. As I was drinking, my eyes fell on the table. Something was wrong…

"King, do you want to have some water too?"

"Sure," he replied and soon he was standing beside me. He too looked at the table and then smirked, giving the nod that I needed as confirmation.

Somebody had been here and taken some of the supplies.

Now, that wasn't a big deal. We still had what we needed. But the audacity of this tribute… that had to be taken care of. If we did nothing about it, they'd take us as a joke. I didn't want that.

"Are you done?"

"Come on Appalachia," I said with a grin, "I know you want action, but we shouldn't forget to take rest too. Just relax."

"We've got no time to relax."

"Just ten minutes, Appalachia," King added, settling himself on the carpeted floor. He had his smirk back on place, but his eyes were searching the room carefully.

"Fine!"

With that, Appalachia sat down too, not looking pleased with this arrangement at all.

King yawned and then stood up, shooting me a glance and then slowly moving towards the chairs and tables. It was as if he didn't want to make any kind of sound. I followed him.

"Is anyone there?" I asked in a whisper.

"I don't know. That chair wasn't placed that way though."

Now that he said it, I noticed that it really wasn't erect the last time we were here. It had fallen to the floor when I had bumped into it. We came to a halt in front of the many furniture piled up together and then King crouched down.

The next second he was sprawling away, holding his head. I looked down sharply when a leg hit me on the stomach hard. It was a really powerful kick and it sent me rolling on the floor.

"What the hell!" Appalachia exclaimed.

I groaned as I got up, only to find King fighting against the girl from Eleven. His weapon was tossed aside, and just looking at Winifred I got that she knew how to fight.

I wasn't going to stand by and watch this girl fight like a pro when she kicked _me._

Grabbing her from behind, I yanked her off King and threw her down. She was way too quick on her feet though, and jump-kicked me again before taking off. As I fell back down, King ran after her to stop her, but Winifred dived behind Appalachia. Before the woman realised what happened, Winifred pushed her towards King, sabre in hand. The boy dived to the side at the last moment, narrowly missing Appalachia's sabre. The blade did cut his thigh slightly and he gasped in pain as he fell over.

Overtaking the two, I chased after the girl from Eleven but when I got out into the corridor, I was shocked to find it completely deserted. I looked left and right, down and then overhead. She had simply disappeared.

Rage boiled inside me right now. There were three of us. _Three_ of us! And she was alone without any weapon! She beat us… She escaped! Clenching my fists, I went back to the cornucopia.

That girl had humiliated us and I wanted revenge.

* * *

 **Third Night**

 **Maverick Zhao (17) D3M**

Despite everything, I missed Nine right now.

It was nice to have her around last night. We talked of home and she told me about the many times she had kicked away the rats at her home. We had had a hearty laugh.

It was so unusual here, to laugh I mean. Of course, I'd been wandering alone for two days, without meeting any human so I didn't know how the other alliances were faring. However, I had seen tributes on TV. How they laughed with each other. How they talked about their life so freely. It always made me feel strange as to how they could open up like that in such a situation. But I understood last night. It was the loneliness, the everlasting madness of the arena that made one to open to others. To share, to care for people who could be your potential killers… or victims.

And that was what was so repulsively attractive about being in the arena. To say the least, I was scared of this. I didn't want to care for Nine. What if it came to just the two of us? Would either be able to finish the other? I hoped it wouldn't come to that for me to find out.

My mind went back to Justin. He had been a good boy and I wished he was around. He certainly didn't deserve to die. But then, none of us did.

Today had been very… uneventful. I had expected at least one cannon. I hated myself for it, but I was hoping for somebody to die already. It would bring me a step closer to home. I was ashamed of myself for thinking this way, for rejoicing in the death of others, but there was just no other way. If they wouldn't die, then how would I go back?

I held my sword firmly. Today would have been too boring for the audience, and maybe they would send mutts… Yes, they could certainly send mutts my way. I was 'boring' after all. I couldn't believe that such cheap people existed. Sadly, they did and I had to be ready for whatever cheap trick they threw at me.

I recognised these parts of the woods. So… I was getting closer to that castle. I sighed. I could not go further ahead but then what could I do? Follow my path back? Wait right here?

But that wouldn't do me any good either, so with a deep breath, holding my sword firmly, I continued on my way towards the castle grounds.

* * *

 **Sagittarius "Sage" Ryans (18) D4M**

"Do you realise Kitty that because of your sense of misdirection we landed back where we started from?"

" _My_ sense of misdirection?"

"Obviously. I told you we should proceed north. But you meowed in my ears till I was forced to go west, then north then west then south then east and then again south. We travelled for two days, saw some really deep parts of the forest, but ultimately we reached here, on the castle ground."

"Meow! Well, put the blame on little old me. Just because I'm a cat you think you can abuse me. Very well."

"Where does 'abuse' come here now?"

"That's what you're doing."

And with that, she pouted in a most adorable way. All my earlier annoyance faded into the background just by looking at her 'cat-ish' pout. I grabbed her arms and took her in a hug and then grinned.

"I don't abuse you Kitty," I said even as a smile slowly started appearing on her face, "You misuse me."

"How long did it take you to figure that out?"

"Two seconds, I guess."

"Meow! You don't understand sarcasm, do you? MEOW!"

I glared at her mockingly before tackling her to the floor and lifting her in my arms. She looked up at me in genuine fear but I just laughed at her expression and then dropped her on the muddy ground.

"Ouch! That hurt!"

"Meow!" I cried out and laughed, throwing myself beside her.

"Sage! Someone's coming!"

In an instant I went silent, holding my spear tightly. Kitty tensed up beside me, getting on all fours. I ducked behind a tree just when a tall boy stepped out onto the grounds.

Kitty frowned when she saw Maverick. I wondered why but then I recalled. Hadn't he been the one who had given her that ball to play with during training? If it was… well, he was in trouble.

"He humiliated me," Kitty whispered, just as Maverick was passing by, "I'm going to-"

"No Kitty! Don't!"

"You're a Career, Sage! How can _you_ back out of battle?"

"It was a mistake," I whispered, my voice sounding dead even to me, "I-I did it becausee I was bored of my life. But-but I was so wrong…"

"If you have to go home, you'll have to kill."

And with that, Kitty lunged at the boy.

It seemed as if he knew what was going to happen. Just as she reached near him, he jumped aside and swung his sword. Kitty's tail fell down on the soft grass.

There was a tensed silence in the air now. My friend looked at Maverick with a blank expression, not uttering a word, but I knew what was happening. She was mad at him, mad enough to kill him with bare hands.

"So, we meet again, eh Kitty?" he said, moving on his feet from spot to spot to confuse her.

"Meow, we do."

"I guess this'll be our last meeting," Maverick said, frowning at her. He drew his sword forward again and my friend narrowed her eyes.

She sprang at him with a growl and scratched his face. He wasn't distracted though, and swung the sword again at her. She ducked and then threw her leg towards him. He jumped up and dodged it before thrusting his sword again at her. She staggered back just enough for the point of the sword to touch her stomach but then kicked at the flat of the blade to push him away.

Kitty wasn't so lucky the second time though. The sword left a deep gash in her abdomen. She screamed in pain as she fell on her back, holding her stomach as blood oozed out from the wound. Maverick looked upset as he held the sword over her. Guilty even. But I wasn't having any of it.

With all my strength, I threw my spear at him.

It seemed to be flying in the air in slow motion, lovingly embracing time to slow it down. With a disgusting sound, the spear went right through his back and the point protruded from his chest. Maverick dropped his sword, swaying on his feet, before turning around. His eyes widened when he saw me. There was hatred in them. Hatred I could never forget.

I fell on my knees. What had I done? I had- I had-

"Coward," he muttered angrily, venom dripping from his voice, before collapsing on the ground. The cannon echoed in the air, scaring the birds.

But I couldn't move. I couldn't speak. What had I done…? What had I done?! I was never going to forget it. Never. I was crying now, I couldn't help it. This shouldn't have happened… they told me not to volunteer… I was a fool!

 _Coward._

* * *

 **Judah Pocks (16) D10F**

Sponsor gifts were pouring in ever since I got that kill on Gretchen, but I didn't want to take any of them.

Lennon… my eyes watered even now when I thought of him. He was so good… So pure…

I wanted him to live if I couldn't. I seriously did. He was so strong, even when he was scared. So brave… And I could do nothing to protect him! Nothing at all! That beast cut my friend in front of my eyes and I could do nothing! I failed him! I failed-I failed myself…

 _I hope his soul rests in peace and that he forgives me._

But why would he? I-I didn't do anything for him. I let him die. I couldn't protect him.

 _God take care of him. And please give me the strength to continue. Please, my Lord._

I sighed and then lied down on the bed. Yes, I had found a bed. In fact, I might have found the dormitory. I didn't know what this was, but there were lots of rooms here with three four poster beds in each of them. They were too soft for my liking, as soft as the beds in the Capitol. The luxury made me feel even guiltier.

My body still hurt from that fight yesterday. Yes, I had been sent medicines and other items along with a note on how to use them. And yes, the wounds were much better now. But the pain in my heart…

For it wasn't just Lennon's death that made me feel so- I didn't have words for it. Gretchen's death was not leaving my mind too.

 _I_ had killed her.

How could I forget how the life was seeping out of her body? How could I forget her blood that had stained my hands, and soul? I had murdered her, I had sinned. I was damned. Her face just wasn't leaving my mind, her neck cut open…

"STOP!" I yelled. The mirror at the other end rattled at my voice but I didn't care. First Lennon then Gretchen and then again Lennon! I was going mad right now. I had to be strong. I had to win. I had to _live._

I frowned and sat up in my bed. I had to keep trying. Appalachia…

…She'd have to die.

* * *

 **Hello all! A quick update, I guess. So, what did you think of the chapter? I know Maverick's and Judah's POVs were short, or rather, Mira's and Sage's were long. Not intentional, really, it just… happened. Did you expect Maverick to go right now? What do you think will happen to Sage now that he's had his first kill? And Judah, how do you think she's going to cope, and do you think she can really take down Appalachia? Let me know your thoughts!**

 **Eulogies:**

 **12** **th** **: Maverick Zhao- Oh goodness, Maverick, you were brilliant! You were so kind and smart and so damn relatable. You were a favourite, honestly, and writing you was so fun. i hope I didn't mess him up too badly. Rest in peace Maverick, all of us are going to miss you.**

 **By the way, I closed the polls, just as I said I would. No, I'm not making the tribute with highest votes the victor or anything, just wanted to know your opinion. I guess it'll be a combination of your votes and my own. We'll see. I mean, we're in top eleven and I haven't even decided on the victor yet.**

 **I don't think there will be any deaths next chapter. I don't know. The fillers are fun to write, I'll be honest. At least it isn't painful.**

 **So yes, as I said before, please share your thoughts on the chapter. :)**

 **Have a great day!**


	31. Chapter 31

**Fourth Day**

 **Ryder Venison (16) D10M**

Maybe I should count myself lucky.

We were in top eleven now but hadn't had any encounter with anybody yet. Three days had already went by, and I doubted there was anybody ever who went on for so long without running into other tributes. However, Nikona and I had managed to avoid that for now, and hopefully

 _But what will you do if only you two make it to the end?_

That was a question I didn't want to tackle right now. Part of the reason was that I believed I didn't know, and the other part was that I didn't want to believe he answer my subconscious mind had already given me. I had done this with animals but… It was different with Nikona. He wasn't an animal. I was afraid to say that I was attached to him. I was even more afraid to say that I didn't know whether I'd be able to bring myself to finish him when the time would be ripe.

Foolish human emotions.

"I think we should've had refilled our bottles in the kitchen," Nkona said, picking at his nails.

"We should," I replied, "How about a trip back there?"

He looked at me blankly, a little _too_ blankly, something that told me that he'd hit me if I suggested it again.

"Okay fine, no trip there."

"But that is the only place with water. We'd die if we don't get us some drink."

I looked up at him, startled. How come this change happened?! Nikona was worried about dying…?!

"D-did I hear you correctly?"

"Of course, you did," he said, "I said we'd die of thirst if we don't find ourselves some water."

"How will it matter?" I proceeded cautiously, "We're going to die anyway, right?"

"Of course, we will," he said with an absolute certainty, "But… we have to try. Dying of thirst is… I don't think it should be like that! There has to be more to this time we're spending here in the arena than to die of _thirst_ , of all things."

I stared at him for a few seconds, and then gave him a quick hug, something that took both of us by surprise. But he was right. We couldn't give up, and we certainly couldn't die of thirst. Smiling at him, I reached out for his hand.

"Come on Nikona, we'll find ourselves a water source. Neither of us is going to die from thirst, not so soon."

* * *

 **King Tychun (18) D1M**

Both Mirabel and Appalachia were still mad about Winifred escaping from our clutches yesterday, and I was left alone to tend to my wound on the shin. Not that I would have trusted either of them with it, but their constant bickering about how they'd punish the girl was irritating me now, and the fact that no amount of cursing calmed their mood was a matter of small concern. It were situations like these that made hot-tempered people turn against each other, and I was kind of anticipating that moment while at the same time hoping to stall it.

"You know what? We should leave this cornucopia and actually check out the forest and the grounds. We haven't been outside at all," Mira said in exasperation.

"Most of the tributes might be hiding there," Appalachia agreed, "Mainly because those who were inside are dead."

Leaving the cornucopia behind was the silliest idea I had ever heard. Had we not left the room yesterday, Winifred wouldn't have looted our supplies… and made a fool of us.

"You two go ahead," I said, leaning back in my chair, "I'll stay here."

"Why don't you come along?" Mira asked suspiciously.

"I simply don't want yesterday's episode to be repeated. I don't know about you both, but I take it as a personal insult that she managed to get away from the three of us with supplies. No, I'll stay here and guard what we have."

Appalachia pursed her lips at my words. I knew she wanted to argue, being the bossy woman she was, but surprisingly she held her tongue. The anger in her eyes gradually changed to something that resembled excitement, and it was that gleam that told me that Mira should be careful. A part of me thought about changing my mind but that would be stupid. Plus, if these two killed each other… well there'd be nothing much left to do for me.

"Be careful," I said, looking at Mira in the eye. "Both of you," I added.

Mira nodded at me and then grabbed a trident whereas Appalachia held onto her sabre as if it was her lifeline. The two girls walked out of the room together, leaving me alone for the time being. I wondered if both of them would return alive or not. And if it came down to one of them then who would win?

Well, the good outcome of their absence was that at least there was silence here, if nothing else.

* * *

 **Nine Price (16) D3F**

Why? Why did it have to happen? Why always me? WHY!?

First Erin, then Ashleigh, then Maverick… Everyone who showed any kind of kindness towards me died. They'd do something for me and then-and then-

"NOO!" I cried out, yelling at the top of my voice. I didn't care if anyone heard me. I didn't care at this moment if anybody attacked me. Tears fell uncontrollably, even though I tried hard to stop them. But they wouldn't- they wouldn't stop just like the death streak. They wouldn't… they wouldn't…

I punched the ground as hard as I could. Why?! Was I so unlucky that whoever would show an ounce of kindness towards me would go that way? my parents were kind of me but had to live in poverty. My siblings were good to me so they could never have proper education. These three complete strangers helped me out and paid with their lives!

Was the problem in me? Was I unlucky? Did I deserve what I was getting?! What had I done to earn this?! What had I done that I'd have to live with this guilt!?

 _If you live that is._

At this point, I didn't care anymore. What if I _did_ win, but found out that my family had been executed for a trivial reason? What if I came to know that my siblings had been kidnapped and sold off to the Capitol? What if my parents had been Avoxed? Would I be able to live then?

"Why…?" my voice choked at that. I was unable to breathe properly, my tears blocked my vision. But that was fine, because I didn't want to see. I didn't want to know. I was not interested.

 _Just end it, Nine._

Why not? I was unlucky. A curse on everyone who was good to me. I never realised I might have been the reason of all my family's sufferings…

 _No! that isn't right! Shake that thought out of your head! It's not you!_

But it was me. I was the cause of all this. I deserved it. I didn't want to hold on to the guilt.

 _Snap out of it! You have to fight! For your family! Your siblings! For those tributes who helped you when you needed it!_

I looked up at the clear sky. How beautiful it was! S-should I… No… I couldn't give up. Not yet. Not when there was so much to do. No when there was _life_ waiting for me.

Wiping my tears, I took in a deep breath and stood up shakily. I wouldn't let this get to me. No, never. I had to be strong. For my family and everyone who helped me.

And for myself.

* * *

 **Fancy "Kitty" Viridian (15) D8F**

I was surprised at the speed Charles sent the supplies to heal me, along with a note instructing how to use them. Honestly, I'd thought he wouldn't care. Guess I was wrong.

However, my mood couldn't be cheery despite the fact I was healing rapidly. My friend couldn't really get over the murder he had committed even when I told him seventeen times that if he hadn't interfered Maverick would have killed me. I understood that killing wasn't easy, and not fun at all. After all, I had killed Clarke too, but this guilt coming from a Career was something I wasn't able to understand.

"Are you okay?" I asked softly.

"Yeah. I'm f-fine."

"You don't sound fine."

He sighed at that and brought his knees closer to his chest. I waited for a reply but it didn't come.

"Sage, I take it you knew what you were doing when you volunteered. I don't get why you're acting this way. killing is something that has to be done."

He looked up at me and I was shocked to see that his eyes were moist. His lips quivered slightly then he sighed again.

"I thought I knew what I was doing too, Kitty," he replied, "But the thing is… I didn't. I was a fool. All I was thinking was that my life at the docks was boring. That's it be better to die than to waste my life working there. But… I didn't- I didn't take into consideration that I'd have to kill. I didn't prepare myself to deal with it, Kitty. I have no idea how to. When I volunteered, I was only thinking of myself. Many of my family members were against it but- but I did it anyway. I wanted to prove that I wasn't my cousin. That I could win.

"But now… seeing Maverick's life seep out of him changed something. I don't want to win now. I'd deserve whatever I'll get."

I glared at him. Who did he think he was, talking in this way?! I bent forward and slapped him across the face.

Sage's eyes grew wide as he held his smarting cheek. He looked shocked, and why shouldn't he?

"You deserved it," I replied bluntly and then purred, "For being so whiny. You're a warrior. So quit the crying and face it. Get ready for more bloodshed. You'll have to fight."

He glared back at me and then laughed, surprising me. The laugh was weak, and not really happy, but it was something. Slowly, I smiled back at him.

"You're right Kitty. I'll try. I'll try my best."

I winked at him. "You better do."

* * *

 **Appalachia Bryce (18) D2F**

Mirabel had maintained a pretty solid silence ever since we left the cornucopia. That was fine by me, but I didn't like the way King simply made us leave. I couldn't help but feel that he was playing both of us, and that wasn't a very pleasant thought by any means.

It was weird, coming out so far away from the castle. On the first night, or was it the second, I had gone outside but not too far. I was awed by the vastness of the grounds, and the sunlight made it hard to see things clearly. Too much time spent indoors…

"Do you want to look around the periphery of that forest first, or do you want to dive in directly?"

"Since when does it matter to you what I want?" I asked curtly.

She sighed and then turned towards me. She had the expression of a person who was trying to explain something to a difficult six-year-old. I wanted to shove this sabre into her eye.

"Look Appalachia, I don't know what you're thinking. But honestly, I don't see why you feel this way. your opinion has already mattered to us."

"Oh yeah?" I snapped at her, "Well, your words don't matter to me. Just spit out what's going on between you two."

"Between who?" she asked incredulously, putting on a really good show of having absolutely no idea of what I was talking about.

"Cut the act, Mirabel, honey. You know who I'm talking about."

She kept on looking at me blankly. I had enough of it.

"You and King. What're you two up to?"

"We just get along well enough-"

"Why did you ditch Gretchen?" I asked roughly.

Her eyes narrowed at that but then she smiled at me lightly.

"That was unfortunate. Gretchen insisted on fighting alone. As Careers, we know that it matters a whole lot to us to fight our own battles. We don't like interruption. We don't like help if we haven't asked for it. And that's why neither of us interfered had she called out for help, we would've definitely done our best to provide it to her."

"Oh really? So if one of us is dying in front of the rest, you aren't going to help out?"

"It's not like that, Appalachia. Gretchen _refused_ our help."

"And why did Judah get away? Why did you let her?"

"She was quick to escape. That's it."

"Well then, I know that I should trust you. I should trust you to betray me when the time comes."

And with that I drew my sabre. Mirabel stepped back in shock, holding her spear tightly.

"App-Appalachia, what're you doing? Keep that away."

And I did lower my sabre, giving her a bright smile.

"I was kidding with you. Come on, we've tributes to hunt down."

"Y-yeah…"

And together, we proceeded towards the forest. But I would make sure that only I would come back out of there.

And then, back at the cornucopia, I would deal with King… properly.

* * *

 **No deaths… again. I guess it's good to not have deaths sometimes. So, what are your thoughts on this chapter? Anything that you particularly liked… or disliked? There's a lot of trouble brewing up among the Careers, who do you think will walk out of it unscathed? There will definitely be deaths next chapter, but like, I don't want to kill anyone now. I love them all so much! I wish I could arrange a picnic for them by the beach or something, but alas, that can't happen. So yes, please share your thoughts on the chapter.**

 **Have a great day!**


	32. Chapter 32

**Fourth Day**

 **Mirabel "Mira" Grant (17) D4F**

It was no surprise to me when I felt Appalachia's sabre come towards me, slicing the very air in half. I blocked the attack with my trident, kind of surprised that she attacked moments after asking me about King. I pushed her away hard and then faced her fully.

"What do you think you're doing?!" I asked angrily.

"I don't like when people backstab me, Mira," she replied calmly, holding her sabre in front of her steadily, "And I don't trust either of you."

"So that's why you wanted to come with me alone?"

"Yes," she replied, "I'll butcher you, and I'll be happy to do so. And then I'll go back to the cornucopia where I'll meet your friend and inform him of your sad demise."

"You have a good plan," I snapped as we started circling each other, "But the thing is, Appalachia, you're too arrogant for your own good. I'll have no trouble beating you at all; your overconfidence and sadistic nature will be your downfall."

"I'd love to see that."

And then she struck.

I rolled out of the way, avoiding her shot narrowly, and then thrust my trident at her. It grazed her just a bit before she pushed it away with her sabre. She swung her sabre again and I parried, holding her off.

I was shocked at the speed Appalachia had gained during the battle. The rate at which she attacked made it impossible for me to go on the offence. The best I could do was parry and duck and hope that her wild swings wouldn't hit me.

I kicked at her knee, making her lose her balance momentarily. The opening I needed presented itself, and I thrust my trident at her again. She moved out of the way on time and I managed to only graze her side a bit.

I didn't know how long we fought, but it only felt like a few minutes before I was bleeding from a gash in the stomach while she was relatively unscathed except a cut on her shoulder.

I wasn't going to lose to her though and I gutted her, which led her to fall on her knees. I struck, and she defended, but it was her sabre that flew out of her hand.

"This wasn't what I had planned, Appalachia. But you chose this."

She didn't say anything as I raised my trident, when all hell broke loose.

* * *

 **Talon Darqet (15) D5M**

It was foolish to even think that things could go properly here.

Here I was, resting peacefully, content with the supplies I had obtained. I was trying to forget about Lennon and this whole situation, but then a rumbling had to happen.

No, it wasn't my stomach making these noises. The very floor seemed to be shaking, and I was swaying along with it. At first I thought I was giddy but when a crunching sound echoed throughout the room, followed by a single crack appearing on the wall right in front of me. It was all the sign I needed, and swiftly grabbing my bag, I dashed for the windows.

My heart was hammering in my chest so loudly I could literally hear it, or maybe it was just my ears pounding. I didn't know, and I didn't care. All of a sudden, the window seemed to be ridiculously far and my legs seemed to be aching for no reason at all. But I pushed myself forward, even as the cracks became more prominent than ever before.

The plaster was coming down, and the cracks spread to the ceiling. I dived through the window and landed outside on the soft, green grass, having managed to not break anything in my body. However, there was no reason to be relieved. Quickly getting to my feet, I ran blindly in a random direction, unable to understand where I was going. All I knew was that I wanted to get away from the castle. I had no idea how long it would hold, and I wasn't keen on finding out.

As I was running, I saw the two lady Careers fighting between themselves. Appalachia's sabre was tossed aside and Mirabel towered over her with her trident raised. I knew what was coming, or at least I thought I knew what was coming, because suddenly Nine had just appeared out of the forest, and her eyes widened when she saw Mirabel. Maybe because Appalachia's back was turned on her, Nine didn't notice that it was her, but seeing Mirabel Nine took aim with her arrow.

Now, I didn't want to degrade anyone, but Nine was honestly not much of an archer. She always missed, it was a record. I just hoped her arrow wouldn't hit me.

There were tears in her eyes as she let the arrow fly, which in turn seemed to be moving at a torturously slow pace. It zoomed over Appalachia's head and-

-and hit Mirabel right in the neck where her vocal cords should have been. There was a look of surprise on her face, just as the cannon rang.

I stopped in my tracks, unable to believe that Mirabel was indeed gone. She was the most formidable of them all…

I looked at the ground to see a shadow looming over me. As fast as I could, I ran, my legs tiring themselves. It was worse than the time Appalachia had chased me, worse than anything. The shadow kept coming closer, I saw a figure run past me- King- and he threw something at me that made me stumble.

I tried to get up, but it was no use, even as hundreds of kilograms buried me in my tomb.

* * *

 **Nine Price (16) D3F**

My hands shook so terribly that I dropped my bow.

Right in front of my eyes a big chunk of what used to be the top floor of the castle fell on what used to be the boy from Five. He was _so_ close to making it away from it had it not been for King. A big part of the castle had fallen down. Large pits had opened up in the grounds of the school and on the periphery of the forest, the trees were falling down even now, when the earthquake had stopped.

All the tributes were gathered in the grounds, for once not caring about killing, all of us were shell-shocked at this development. I rubbed my bleak eyes furiously so that nobody could see the tears. Talon had died too painfully and although I disliked her, I wasn't feeling proud of killing Mirabel. Partly because I hated myself for killing, and partly because I ended up saving Appalachia's life.

Speaking of Appalachia, she looked the most shocked out of all of us. Her eyes hovered on me and then she grinned abruptly, startling me.

"Well, thank you, Nine," she said, "Your help deserves reward. We'll make a truce now, and if we meet again before the top five, you can be assured I won't attack you."

"W-what?"

"I know a favour when I get one, and I don't forget them. Till the top five, you have no need to be afraid of me."

I turned away from her, only to see King disappearing inside the forest, now that there was no earthquake. My blood boiled at the sight of him, and I wanted to kill him on the spot, but he had blended into the trees quite perfectly. He even had a bag with him… it was almost as if he had _prepared_ for a quick escape if needed.

"Why the hell did they do that?!" Judah cried out. She had been silent all this time, staring at the debris quite blankly. But now, she looked enraged.

"I've no idea," Ryder said softly, "But that was…unexpected."

"I can't believe we survived that," Nikona muttered, his face wearing the expression of disbelief and wonderment, "How did we get away?"

"But he didn't," Judah whispered, her lips shaking slightly, "He didn't make it. I couldn't do anything. He helped me when I thought I'd die of thirst."

I felt a connect with her then. Somebody had helped her and-and gone out the way my friends did. Was it the nature of the Games? Was a simple act of kindness always rewarded in this way over here? At this time, I wanted to give her a hug and tell her to be strong. But what if I went this way too, just because of being a little nice to someone?

"Damn! That was weird," I heard Fancy say. I turned around to see her nudging Winifred, who just looked disturbed by all the events, and by Fancy's nudging.

Sagittarius' and Appalachia's eyes met, and I braced myself for a battle. The two, however, ignored the other, and turned back to the castle as a large chunk of the building fell down again.

Even as Appalachia ran into the woods too, the others settled themselves on the grounds, staring blankly at the school, each having thoughts of their own.

* * *

 **The Capitol**

 **Matthew Hayes (28) Head Gamemaker**

This happened to be the weirdest reaction that I'd ever seen.

Apart from the two Careers, every other tribute was just staring at the debris like a person who had suddenly come across a treasure they didn't want to discover. I was also not really happy that the earthquake managed to kill just one boy. I had expected at least three people to die, but these tributes were better than I'd thought.

"The earthquake seems to have shocked them, sir."

"Yes, it has indeed shocked them. However, I was hoping for a bigger impact."

"I'm sure there are other ways, Matthew."

"Of course. The feast will be happening soon but- I don't like their reactions to the earthquake. They're all just… there. Nothing interesting is happening despite seven of them being present at the same place."

"They're shocked. I'm sure that by the time the feast arrives, they'll be ready for it."

"I hope so too. So Julius, how may I help you?"

My friend and mentor of District Seven sat down next to me, a smile on his face.

"I want to sponsor Nikona."

"Okay. What do you want to send?"

"Simple things like food, water and all."

"Julius," I said smoothly, "People don't sponsor all that during the final nine of the Games."

"I know Matt. It's just that I want Nikona to win at any cost. I'm tired. I'm seriously tired."

"To see them die?" I asked jokingly. He looked into my eyes and at that moment I thought I saw a flash of intense rage in his eyes. But then he blinked and sighed and shrugged.

"Nah man," he said, leaning back in the chair, "It's terrifically boring. I mean, I got one victor for Seven in sixty second games, I think, and that's it. That was ten years ago, and he too simply killed himself because of some intestine infection. I'm tired of mentoring these whiny pathetic kids. I just want Nikona to win, so that I don't have to be mentor anymore and can continue training tributes at the training facility. Honestly, the five years that he mentored were the best in my life."

I laughed out at his exasperated expression and clapped him on the shoulder. He grinned at me and then we both laughed again.

"Who'll be the most fun to watch dying?"

"How about… Appalachia?"

"Are you kidding me, Julius?" I asked in amusement, "She's one great villain."

"She's got a good chance of winning," Julius replied sourly, "And then I'll be stuck with District Seven _again."_

This time I couldn't help but laugh heartily. Maybe it was his pout, or the extra emphasis he put on 'again'.

"Well, I can't rig it but I do hope that your wish comes true."

He opened his mouth to say something, but then we were both distracted as the scene on the television changed. The Games weren't being broadcasted, instead they were showing a Capitolite child, completely bathed in makeup so that I couldn't even make out whether it was a girl or a boy, or even if it was a child.

 _Shocked, aren't you?_

"Where's this coming from?!" Julius cried, staring at the television screen, "What's happening?!"

"I don't know!"

The scene changed to the many tributes who had perished in the past games. A girl with her stomach cut open, a boy with his face deformed due to an acid attack by a fellow tribute, countless children sprawled on the ground.

 _I know I've just interrupted the program you all watch. I know I've put a pause on your source of entertainment. But do you see them? Do you see that they're children?_

 _And this is also a child. The difference is that these tributes aren't regarded as children for they're not yours. And these young ones are loved for they are yours._

 _And now, I'll request you all lovely Capitolites to use your imagination and see your children in the arena._

 _What do you see? Do you like it?_

The screen showed a Capitol child on the muddy ground, their neck cut open, their glassy eyes staring into the void.

 _No don't worry. That child isn't dead…_

 _…_ _but soon they could be._

 _Today their children, tomorrow yours. Is that what you want? Is that what you want to achieve? Robbing mothers of the children they carried in their womb for nine months? Stealing the joy of a father's life?_

 _Remember, it could be you. It could be your children fighting to save their lives. Your children forced into slavery. Your children who could have their tongues cut off._

 _It's up to you now to decide whether you want to help us to get rid of this disease, or continue to be a part of this crime. It's your decision, but do remember that nothing is stable. We will overtake the current government one day, and remember that our positions could be reversed._

 _Have god day everyone, and think about what I said._

The broadcast stopped, and in a second the screen showed King climbing a tree. The whole room had fallen silent, every Gamemaker stared at the screen in terror. Julius gulped and squeezed my hand.

"Do you think- do you think Mr. Snow would have seen it?" he asked in an almost whisper. I shook my head; I didn't know, but I really hoped he hadn't seen anything.

"That voice was familiar."

We turned around to look at Minerva, my deputy head gamemaker. Her face was pale as every eye was fixed on her.

"But he died…"

"What happened? Who was that?" I asked, although now that she said it, even I felt that the voice was familiar.

"Regal. Regal Winter."

"He died twelve years ago," Julius scoffed and turned towards him sharply. I didn't like the look in his eyes. Was he- was he _excited?_ But why would he be? No, I imagined it. Julius was probably as shaken as everyone else

"But that voice is his."

"Whatever it is," I said, "All of you, get back to work. I'll speak to President Snow about it."

* * *

 **Hello all! Yeah, I'm back with this chapter. I know it was short, but I thought that a shorter chapter would be able to portray the panic better. Anyway, what do you think of this chapter? Was it good? Was it bad? Was it meh? Any deaths you didn't expect? What effect do you think the broadcast will have on the Capitol? Was it wise of the rebels to take that step at this time?**

 **Eulogies:**

 **11** **th** **: Mirabel Grant- Mira was amazing! I loved her so much and writing her was so easy! However, I always knew that if these two fought, Mira would lose simply because Appalachia is, well, evil. But Mira was so smart, and always knew what to do. She was a great character, and I hope I didn't do too bad with her. Rest in peace Mira, you'll be missed.**

 **10** **th** **: Talon Darqet- TALON! I LOVED TALON HONESTLY I DID! He was so relatable, he was so me, I just loved him! I enjoyed writing him so much, and he was so adorable. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't favoured much in the voting, and so he had to go now. But I'll miss you so much Talon, rest in peace.**

 **And people, submissions for my new SYOT, Eclipse, are open right now. I'd love it if you check it out! :)**

 **So have a great day and please share your thoughts on this chapter!**


	33. Chapter 33

**Fourth Night**

 **Winnifred "Winnie" Chintz (17) D11F**

I was feeling rather unsettled right now. The feeling was... I couldn't describe it. But everything suddenly seemed to be in vain. Every struggle, every battle… it felt useless. It felt as if everything I'd worked for was going to be finished. All this time hiding, stealing, avoiding tributes… it was going to come to an end. For better…or for worse.

Maybe it was the earthquake that happened earlier, or maybe it was just that we were in the final nine, but I felt that the Gamemakers would do something even more eccentric than bringing down a whole castle. They were not above that, and this treehouse that had been my home for so long suddenly didn't seem to be as safe as before. It could be because I was so close to the ruins of the school, or what I thought was a school, and it still shook me up when I thought of poor Talon who got crushed under that debris…

 _They may target you if you just sit here._

But I couldn't leave! Not like that. If I ran into anyone, especially that King, I'd have no chance of winning. Even when the rest of us were stunned earlier, that little sneak had simply fled into the forest. I couldn't believe how _ready_ he had been when that happened. Nobody could have had predicted a disaster like that, but he did. Even that witch Appalachia had not been able to react so fast. In fact, right now King was _the_ threat.

 _Eliminate him and you'll win._

Should I take a risk? Should I sacrifice the safety of this treehouse?

 _There is no safety. What if they put fire to this tree?_

"No…" I whispered, "That can't happen…"

But what if it did? What would I do? There'll be no way to escape from the fire if the tree caught it, and after coming so far, I had no intention of dying due to a stupid fire. All my work would have been for nothing. And how would I escape it anyway?

I was not ready to find out.

So grabbing my bag that I had acquired, I stepped out of the house, bending a bit so that I could get out, and then pushed the leaves aside. Seeing that nobody was around, I jumped down the tree, landing on my feet softly. The fall was a little jerky, but I was used to it, after all I had been living here since four days, and in no time, I was running towards the forest. Even if I wasn't going tribute-hunting, as the Careers called it, it should at least look that I was trying so that they wouldn't target me.

 _What if your plan backfires?_

That was indeed a possibility but what was the other option? This wasn't a very safe place anymore, I knew it. Mayeb I could take out a tribute or a mutt, but fires and earthquakes were not something I could tackle.

Hopefully, my plan wouldn't backfire on me.

* * *

 **King Tychun (18) D1M**

There was nothing to do now but wait for an easy target to come along. It was a sad thing that Mirabel was no more; she was a good ally. And it would have been so much better had she killed Appalachia before dying. I personally felt she would have, if it hadn't been for a little girl from Three and her arrow. In all honesty, I was taken aback by the fact that she didn't miss. She missed every time in training, she missed during our encounter. And then suddenly she had to hit the target spot on. Very well.

It had been hours since I had been in this tree. My limbs were aching now, and all I wanted to do was stretch a bit. This place was too cramped for my liking, and finally I couldn't take it anymore. I took a jump and landed on my feet on the soft grass with a _thud_ , hoping nobody was around to hear the sound.

I moved a few paces rather awkwardly, trying to get the feeling back in my legs. Why was there no cannon sound? Wasn't Appalachia dead yet? She had been seriously injured, from what I saw. It wasn't likely for her to stay alive for this long without professional assistance. But then, why wasn't her cannon ringing? What was the matter?

An unexpected rustling in the leaves alerted me of an unwanted presence, and I quickly got behind the tree I had taken shelter on. I was still pretty close to the cornucopia, or what used to be the cornucopia, so it could be just anyone. Holding my sword tightly, I waited for them to show up.

A tall, slender figure seemed to have appeared from nowhere. They looked pretty lost as they trudged over the fallen leaves and twigs, their neck turning a little too fast as if trying to sense danger in every step. It was a girl, the now partly visible ponytail suggested. She wasn't looking at my hiding spot, and I smirked.

I struck with my sword in a swift motion, but somehow her instincts kicked in, and she barely dodged it. The blade managed to cut a deep gash in her arm. Unlike most people, however, she did not howl in pain or complain about it. Lovely.

I struck again before she could recover, and was beyond pleased when the blade sunk into her stomach. She cried out now, and this cry sounded like music to my ears. I pushed my sword further, earning another cry, before wrenching it out of her body in a clean move.

My victim's breathing was ragged as she fell on her back. I couldn't make out her face in the dim light from the stars, but her height and structure gave it away.

"Well played Winifred," I told her genuinely, "I don't think anyone would have expected that you'd come so far. Yet, you did. But this is over now. Rest in peace."

And before she could utter a word, I dug the sword back into her wound. The cannon rung the very second my blade went in, and I pulled it back out. Only this morning, Mira and Appalachia were planning to kill her. Her death was prolonged, yes, but she was a fighter through and through, and that deserved respect.

I climbed the tree where my bag was and grabbed hold of it before coming back down again. It would be best if I moved on, into the depths of the forest.

Before I could implement on my plan, however, I felt the cool touch of metal against my neck.

"Hold right there."

This wasn't what I had in mind. She was injured, but how was she able to track me down? It didn't help that she had placed her sabre right next to my neck.

This didn't seem too good any more.

* * *

 **Appalachia Bryce (18) D2F**

"Hello King," I said sweetly, digging the sabre in his neck to draw just a little blood. His breathing seemed to have hitched at that, and he didn't reply.

"Already forgot me, dear? I'm your ally."

"Take this off me, Appalachia."

"Oh no no no!" I answered, and then laughed, "This is fun."

"Take it off."

The lack of fear, and the abundance of authority in his voice was annoying me now. I was the one at an advantage right now! Who was he to show arrogance! His tone! It was as if he was talking to an extremely annoying child. I wasn't going to be treated that way!

"No way honey."

"How come you're even alive? I thought Mira showed you your place."

"What the heck do you mean?"

"I'm just asking how you've managed to survive that injury."

"This? Oh, this is still here. Some kind people in the Capitol sent help. But enough of that! I have a mission to complete!"

"What mission?"

"You and that girl were playing me all along, King. I want revenge. She's dead, and you'll join her soon!"

What frustrated me more than anything was his audacity to laugh at my words. Anyone would think that we were childhood friends and I had just cracked a joke. My grip on the sabre faltered just a bit and maybe that's what King was hoping for.

He elbowed me in the face, and then kicked me in the gut, exactly where Mirabel had attacked me. The pain that I was going through was unbearable, and my voice was so animalistic that I couldn't recognise it myself. It hurt so much! There were no words to describe it, but it was pure torture. I felt him snatch my sabre from my hands, and I knew what he going to do.

Just as he brought down my weapon to kill me, I grabbed the blade with both my hands. Maybe he hadn't expected it at all, for he was trying hard to pull it out of my grip. The blade was cutting my palms; blood dropped like rain onto the ground, but I held on, and then gave him a push. His grip weakened, and I snatched my sabre back, ignoring the shout of every molecule of my body that cried in pain. I stabbed at him, but since I was blinded by pain, it was his shoulder that I hit.

His cry was loud and deafening, and I pushed my sabre further in. He punched at my jaw, making me go sprawling on the ground. I saw him pulling out the sabre from his shoulder, and dropping it on the ground, trying to breathe in.

This was my chance but…

I couldn't move. My wounds had opened again due to over-exertion. Blood started oozing from my abdomen. I placed my hands on the wounds to try to stop the bleeding, but it just didn't. it hurt so much! My body seemed to be on fire! This wasn't-this wasn't supposed to have happened! I had to at least kill King! I had to have my revenge!

But, but why was everything so dark suddenly? Why the cold? Why was I unable to move a single muscle? I saw King grab his bag and sword, and trying to get away as quickly as he could. He was ditching me again! I opened my mouth to yell for him, but my voice failed me.

And then the darkness took over, even as a horrible sound of cannon exploding rang out in the arena.

* * *

 **Well, two deaths again. This was another short chapter, but I really don't have much time on my hands right now, so I hope you don't mind. Do let me know your thoughts on this chapter. Were you surprised by any death here?**

 **Eulogies:**

 **9** **th** **: Winifred Chintz- Winnie! You were such a cool character Winnie! She was so tough, so strong, and had so deep emotions, even though she never showed them. She was smart, and I loved writing her so much! She showed the Careers their place too! It was amazing to write a character as good as Winnie, and I will miss her. Rest in peace.**

 **8** **th** **: Appalachia Bryce- Appy, Appy, Appy! Man, I never thought she'd come this far. Appalachia was everything I love in a villain. But I found her a little hard to write initially and so I wasn't sure how far she'd come, but I fell in love with her character. She was just so evil! And dang it Appalachia, you came eighth too. It's a record now. In all my four SYOTs, my favourite Carriers placed eighth. This wasn't intentional though. I just love her so much, and she was so fun! I'm sorry she went. Rest in peace Appy, you'll be missed.**

 **So yeah, final seven! The feast will be coming soon. I don't think there will be deaths next chapter, but we'll see. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it, even if it was written in such a hurry.**

 **Have a great day!**


	34. Chapter 34

**Fifth Day**

 **Judah Pocks (16) D10F**

The very fact that all the tributes were in such close proximity to each other was disturbing enough to deprive me of sleep last night.

All night I could hear the hooting if the owls, accompanied with the whistling sound of the wind, and although I wasn't scared of the sounds of nature, the occassional footsteps made it impossible to get any rest at all. Camping right outside the ruins of the castle after an earthquake wasn't a smart idea, but I stuck to it nonetheless. The other two options would be to either go inside the castle again, or qhat remained of it, or head into the woods. Neither appealed much to me. After all, there could be after shocks any time and there were Careers in the woods.

Scratch that. There was one Career in the woods.

I was, to put it mildly, shocked at Appalachia's death. Winifred's hadn't been expected either but I had thought Appalachia would live longer. I wanted to kill her! I still couldn't forget the way she had finished Lennon. I had vowed to kill her but she went and died at someone else's hands! How dare she! What about my revenge?!

A part of me, maybe the rational part of me, was telling me not to think on it too much. But even as I got to my feet and started packing my stuff, I couldn't help but feel giddy and angry at the sane time. I was happy that someone was dead. It gave me joy, immense joy that I couldn't explain. The only thing I regretted was that I didn't kill her! She was mine!

No... I shouldn't that way. It wasn't... it wasn't right. Why was I so happy?! I shouldn't be happy! A person was dead even if she was horrible. But she was a person nonetheless. I should pray for her soul. But here I was busy being happy that she died.

Would God forgive me for this? Would He be disappointed? Suddenly I did not feel all that good. It was a sin to think that way but I couldn't help it. After all, Appalachia had taken pleasure in every murder she committed.

I took a deep breath. It wasn't time to think about all this. No, there was work to be done. Mainly of finding some food, which I didn't think would be easy any way. Loading myself, I started towards the outskirts of the forest, where I saw Nine holding a single berry. I could kill her if I wanted to but at this moment, I didn't. I didn't want to even hurt anyone, except maybe King, but certainly not Nine.

As I inched closer, she threw the berry away from her.

"Why did you do that?" I asked curiously, "It's hard finding food here."

I wanted to be mad at her for throwing it away but I couldn't. I was just curious. Did she know something about it or was she disturbed?

"It was poisonous," she replied, "It couldn't be eaten. In fact, most of the berries here are toxic."

"Oh."

She looked up from the grass, her face gaunt and her eyes dead. I smiled at her, but nothing came back. I didn't like the look on her face. She looked so... exhausted. So fed up of everything.

"If you're hungry," she continued, "you can have these."

She plucked three berries, bright red in colour, and brought them forward. I looked at them for a second but then accepted them with a smile.

"Thanks!"

She nodded at me before going back to study the berries around her. As I bit into the fruit, and a sour taste filled my mouth, I realised she was doing so because she didn't want to think. Thinking was painful for her. I sat down on the grass too. Maybe I should do so as well.

For I didn't want to think.

 **Fancy "Kitty" Viridian (15) D8F**

I never thought such a day would come.

That I would be in the Games. That my ally would be a Career with the hihhest training score. That we'd be here jobless on the grounds of a demonic school. And that, despite six of us present at almost the same place, nobody was trying to attack anyone.

Lovely.

Add to it the fact that the Gamemakers hadn't done anything to make us fight. It was too good to be true. We were in the final seven after all. Usually, they did make tributes fight. But right now, for over fifteen hours, we've been acting as we were on a picnic. A sad one, but a picnic nonetheless.

Great.

"What's the plan?" I asked, looking at Sage in the eye. I had never seen him look so lost before. True, I didn't know him for long but I was sure I knew him well. The way he always cheered me up, the way he was stubborn about what he wanted. The way he cared for even the littlest things. Right now, I was certain he was thinking about Appalachia, King and Mirabel. Especially Mirabel. The girl who turned on her District Partner in the very beginning.

"The plan?" he said, his eyes looking down at his palms, "Well um, the feast will happen soon."

"I know," I replied, "I've been waiting for the announcement."

And also deeading it.

"Well yeah," he replied, "Me too. Basically I want to know the location."

"Meow?"

"Yeah Kitty, we have to be sure about where it will be, and whether it will favour us. It could be in the forest, and since we have seen quite a bit if it-"

"-when I was riding on your shoulders"

"Yeah, that. Anyway, since we have seen quite a bit of that we're at an advantage. We know the forest better than any other tribute present. Except maybe King."

"You're forgetting Nine has spent some time in there."

"She has indeed, but she hasn't explored the forest the way we have. We know what it's like. King has an advantage because he's already in there and can arrive at the spot before any of us.

"However, Kitty, the forest is the least likely place for them to hold the feast. There's no landmark in there. Nobody will know where they are."

"Meeeowww," I purred, "That leaves two places. And I think I have an idea as to where it can be held."

"Yeah," Sage replied, "It leaves the grounds, that is exactly where we are. And although this place is vast and open, I think it's unlikely they'll conduct it here."

"Exactly. We're already here. They have to arrange the items and things without our knowledge. So that leaves the school."

"The school it will be," he replied, getting up all of a sudden, "It's in ruins, it's a small space. It is ideal for bloodshed."

I followed him on my feet, looking at him in concern. There was an intensity in his eyes that I hadn't seen before, and it was scaring me. He then turned to face me, no emotions in him at all. His lips were set in a firm line.

"You have to promise me something."

"What?" I asked cautiously, not liking his tone. What could it be?

"If you sense danger, and you know that there's no hope for me, I want you to lea-"

"No."

"What?!"

"I said no, Sage. I'm not making that promise. I can't. It depends on my instincts. If they tell me to leave, I will. If they tell me to stay, I will. So shut up about it."

"Kitty-"

"Will you do something like that, Sage?"

He went silent at that. His eyes gazed in mine with a fire, but I matched it with my own glare. He opened his mouth as if wanting to say yes, but then his shoulders slumped and he closed his mouth again.

"Come on," he said, not replying to my question at all, "We should survey the Castle once. Especially the cornucopia, if it still exists."

"Okay!" I said, and then purred evilly, "But you'll have to carry me on your shoulders."

 **Ryder Venison (16) D10M**

There was something fishy going on.

I saw the girl from Eight and the boy from Four walking towards the now ruined castle as uf trying not to catch attention. The girl climbed his shoulders and put her arms around his neck, purring and blowing wind in his ear, which completely ruined there efforts of going away unnoticed. The purring had been what alerted me and now I saw them moving through the debris towards what used to be the gate of the school.

"What do you think they're up to, Nikona?" I asked softly.

"Who?"

"Kitty and Sage."

Nikona looked up from the ground towards the two tributes, his eyes narrowing by the second.

"They're going to the school."

I gave him an exasperated look at that. It might have been his idea of a joke for it was pretty they were going to the school. I raised my brows at him slightly which made him sigh.

"Okay fine. I think they're going to survey the area."

"Why will they do that?" I asked in confusion, looking at the castle again only to see that the two of them had disappeared.

"I don't know. Maybe they think the feast will be there or something."

Now that he said it, it kind of made sense. That would be a good location to hold the feast. It would prevent people from running. We may even get our victor by the end of it.

A chill ran down my spine at the thought. Victor...? So soon?! It felt like yesterday when we were swntenced to death! Was- was my end this close now?

"Ryder?!"

"Y-yeah?" I jumped, looking at Nikona.

"Did you listen to what I said?"

"Uh no..." I replied, feeling a tad bit bad about it.

"I thought so. After all, you looked as if you'd seen a ghost."

I grinned at him but the mention of ghost didn't favour me. It reminded me of those zombie children, which wasn't the best thing to remember.

"I was saying that it doesn't matter where the feast happens, we'll have to not die."

There he went again. 'We'll have to die'. I groaned inwardly. Everything had changed in this arena! Every single person! EXCEPT Nikona! I wished he'd stop... wait. What did he say?

"What?!"

He sighed again, as if talking to a very difficult child. Looking at me in the eye he said, "I'm tired of repeating it again and again. But listen, okay? We'll have to not die. We'll have to escape the feast. We'll have to fight, and fight hard. We'll have to live."

I must be dreaming... This couldn't be true! He said it! This had to be a dream!

How could this happen?

 **Nikona Linwood (16) D7M**

For what seemed like an eternity, all Ryder did was stare at me in disbelief and wonder, his eyes large, his mouth slightly open. I frowned.

"What's wrong?" I asked, feeling slightly worried, "Are you okay?"

"Wrong?!" He exclaimed, "No Nikona! Everything's right! Finally... finally!"

I stared at him incredulously. What the hell was wrong with this guy?! It looked as if he'd won a big prize or something! What surprised me was that he threw his arms around me lightly, and gave me a brief hug. I was so shocked that I didn't know what to do and by the time I decided to hug him back, he had already released me, wearing a big smile on his face.

"You're right," he said, " We have to survive it anyhow."

And then it dawned on me why he acted this way. He was surprised that I said I wanted to live. As the realisation slowly sunk in, I couldn't help but laugh. Laugh. Something I hadn't done in years. Something I had forgotten I could do too. And laughing felt wonderful. After so many years I felt amazing, laughing heartily. It was so bizarre that he'd reacted this way because of my new found will to live. I couldn't believe I'd been so sulky all the time. I could win this. I could live. I had to! And that made me laugh even harder. Before I knew it, Ryder had joined me. I gave him a light hug too, which he returned immediately.

The girls looked up and stared at us, unable to understand what they were seeing. Nine smiled sadly, maybe she thought we were crazy, whereas Judah just looked confused. I could understand her confusion, and just to perplex her further, I waved at her, which earned another chuckle from Ryder.

"Is everything alright?" Judah asked.

"Yeah," Ryder replied with a smile, "All's well."

Judah smiled back at us and then sat back down in the grass, where Nine was already sitting, staring into the woods, her bow and arrow by her.

"Anyway," Ryder said, and I was amazed at his ability to be serious again in less than a second, "What should we do next?"

The smile on my face had disappeared long back. It was time to focus on the problem.

"What can we do except wait?" I answered, "Things will happen at their own pace."

He nodded at that and then a silence fell. I was sure he was thinking what I was. Even if we did survive the feast, would we be able to kill each other if we were the final two? My mind told me it had to be done but why wasn't my soul allowing the thought? After all, following death would be afterlife. We'd see each other again anyway. So why did I dread the moment?

Was Ryder feeling as hesitant?

Looking at his guarded eyes, I couldn't tell. However, he had told me before that he never backed away from killing old and weak animals, even if it hurt him. He knew when to off things. Would it be as easy for him to kill a person as it was to kill his farm animals?

Only time would tell...

 **Sagittarius "Sage" Ryans (18) D4M**

The castle walls were completely cracked.

I could actually see the grounds clearly from a few of them. A few columns just hung overhead dangerously, threatening to fall down any second. The chandeliers were shattered with powdered glass scattered everywhere. The tables had broken, the chairs were unrecognisable. Dust fell on us even now, and Kitty was so afraid that something would fall that she quickly got down my back and onto her feet. Of course, she said it was an 'act of kindness' on her part, but her frightened eyes couldn't fool me.

Despite its weird position in the castle, the cornucopia was the most intact room there. It was right in the middle too, and it was highly unlikely that it had gone unscathed but the thing was that comparatively it had gone unscathed. The cracks were few and they weren't exactly wide. One of the legs of the table on which all the supplies were present was gone, but it was still not too bad.

Kitty and I looked at each and nodded. The supplies were present right here. We could take what we needed and there would be no need to attent the feast.

So she grabbed knives and checked the backpacks. One of them had a first sid kit and a water bottle. She kept it aside and started searching for food. Canned peas, dried fruit, chocolates, she kept them all into the bag. Then she proceeded to scavenge for more things while I packed a rope. She held up a spear.

"This one's better," she said before purring again. When I took the spear from her she licked her paws, which made laugh. As always.

I weighed the spear in my hands. It was slightly heavier than the one I was using, and it had a sharper point. But it just didn't feel... right in my hands. I didn't know why but it just didn't.

"Thanks Kitty," I said, putting the spear back on the tilted table, "But I'm more comfortable with this one."

"As you wish. Anyway, I think we've packed enough. We should go."

"I think we should take some food for the others as well."

Kitty looked at me as if she had seen an alien or something. She pouted unintentionally, and it honestly looked so cute. I felt the urge to squeeze her lips between my fingers because she just looked so adorable, but I resisted it.

"Sage, they're our enemies, if you remember."

"I know Kitty but... but they look so weak. I think they're hungry. Especially the girls. They look as if they'll faint any time due to tiredness."

"Fine!" She snapped, and grabbed a packet of wafers as well. She stuffed it into the bag and started storming towards the exit while I cast a last sweeping look at the room, trying to memorise the scene completely.

And that's when the announcement was made, which made me jump.

"Good morning tributes! All of you have worked hard to reach here. Final seven is no small feat, something many of your friends couldn't acheive. We are holding a feast for you tonight at five in the evening in the cornucopia. We'll ask you ti desert the room immediately if you're there. Remember tributes, attendance is mandatory. Good day and may the odds be ever in your favour."

My heart sunk to the bottom of my stomach. I looked around once more before leaving the room. Outside I caught my ally's eye.

"All that raiding for nothing," she grumbled, "Attendance is mandatory."

"We can't look into the cornucopia anymore," I replied and then smiled, "but we can definitely look around the castle."

After all, escaping was what we were concerned with. We'd just find a couple of ways out of there into the open. It was time to go exploring.

"I think we should first go out and eat something."

"Agreed."

* * *

 **Long time, no see. Well, hello everyone! No deaths this chapter, as promised. It was pretty slow in comparison, I think, but it was still fun to write. So, I'm not abandoning this story. Or any of my stories for that matter. Just wanted to say that I'm a bit busy right now, so updates will be sporadic. I'll try to get the feast out as soon as I can, but yeah, it could still take some time. Anyway, do let me know what you think of this chapter.**

 **Have a great day!**


	35. Chapter 35

**Fifth Night**

 **Nikona Linwood (16) D7M**

Ryder and I found it a little bit uncomfortable that the people we were supposed to kill were continuing with their lives right in front of our eyes. Sage and Kitty had kindly brought food for us, and then the duo had simply vanished when nobody was looking. I was certain it was because they wanted to take a closer look of the castle as they were the only ones who hadn't been in there since the start of the games.

Currently, Ryder and Judah were having some kind of conversation with each other. I could understand that it was because they were the last District Pair left. The two looked pretty serious as they talked, and then they shook hands. After that Ryder returned to me, his face saying nothing but his eyes conveying his sadness.

It was understandable that he did not want to kill Judah Pocks.

But it was too late now. If it came to that, he'd have to do it. She'd do it too, I was certain of that.

 _Only one of us were going to leave this alive._

I was coming to this realisation now, when it was already so late. _Only one._ Could I possibly make sure that it was me?

"I think it'll be time soon," Ryder said, giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze. I nodded at him and then turned to my hatchet. It was sharp enough, and I just had to make sure that I used it at the correct time. Timing was important, more important than anything else actually. Wrong timing and I could end up hurting myself or Ryder.

 _You shouldn't care._

"Shut up," I told my mind, "I'm not interested."

"Did you say something?" Ryder asked, his face looking one of concern. I shook my head and then patted him lightly on the back.

"I think we should leave now."

"I think so too."

And then, we walked in silence towards the ruined school, unsure of whether this would be the last time we'd be walking together.

 **Nine Price (16) D3F**

I waited behind the most obvious pillar in the room but it was so obvious that nobody could guess I was there.

There were rows of tables laid out, and on them were placed the delicacies that one couldn't imagine. The aroma of the hot, Capitol food was indeed very tempting, along with the drinks that were spread out, but I wasn't going to fall for it. There were bags for all of us, and I was sure they contained things we needed along with things that could help us win, if used wisely. I was the closest to the tables, with bow in hand. There were only four arrows left with me now, which was a problem. Today I had been sponsored with two arrows, and I was honestly dumbfounded at that. I mean, who would send _two_ arrows? But there wasn't anything that could be done, so I had to make do with what I had and only hope that I'd be able to run away quickly.

There was no other tribute in sight, but I was sure that they were all here, hidden as efficiently as I was. All of us were waiting for somebody to make a move.

Kitty made the first move.

She leapt towards the bag with number '8' on it with the speed of a…cat, and grabbed it in a quickly. I loaded my bow, but before I could shoot, King was there, and he swung his sword at her. She jumped back, avoiding it narrowly. King attacked again, but now I saw that he was injured… In fact, if anyone needed the supplies, it was him.

However, in an instant, Sage was on top of King, and soon they were fighting, spear against sword. Kitty, meanwhile, grabbed the bag for '4' as well, and then ran away, towards the exit of the room. While I watched, I saw Nikona and Ryder moving towards the table.

I took aim.

And then Ryder turned his direction and came at me.

 **Ryder Venison (16) D10M**

When Kitty escaped, we saw it as a golden opportunity to make take our bags.

After all, King and Sage were battling, and it was an intense fight despite King's injuries. There was no sign of Judah or Nine, so the two of us dashed towards the table, wanting to get our stuff.

As we were running, I saw her. Nine had her bow loaded, and it wasn't aimed at King.

No… I wasn't going to let that sneak finish us off! Holding out my rod, I charged at her, yelling at Nikona to escape with our supplies. Nine was taken aback for a second, but then she shot.

However, arrows weren't supposed to be shot at such a close range.

I swung my rod, easily deflecting her arrow. Her panicked eyes told me what I needed to know, but the determined girl wasn't ready to give up yet. I attacked her with the rod, but she rolled out of the way and grabbed the arrow I had deflected earlier. She held it tightly and then charged at me. Why was she doing so with a single arrow in her hand? She wasn't going to shoot it.

I pushed my rod at her, but she seemed to have anticipated the move, and hence threw herself towards right, before coming at me again. I knew what she was about to do, and ducked as soon as I could. Her arrow missed my neck by seconds. I pushed at her legs, making her fall down, and then hit her with the rod. She cried out in pain as I hit her again, and again.

Making sure that she wouldn't be moving at once, I ran towards the exit.

Why wasn't Nikona present there?

I turned around and was horrified to see him and Judah fighting. My District Partner was attacking my friend mercilessly, but he didn't hold back either.

I felt like a traitor for doing this, but I ran back to them nevertheless, and hit Judah in the back of her head.

It must have hurt.

She swayed on the spot, before turning around to face me, her face very gaunt, her eyes wide when she saw it was me.

And then she collapsed.

"Come on Nikona!"

My friend nodded, and we started towards the exit again, just when the very floor parted and engulfed both of us.

 **King Tychun (18) D1M**

I had never realised he was this strong.

Sagittarius knew how to use his spear well. It was as if the weapon was a part of him. I couldn't believe it was this hard holding him back. He wasn't getting tired at all, whereas I felt as if I'd collapse any time now. It was because of my injuries, as the sponsors had sent only enough medicines to make sure that I was alive, not more than that. Sage was working it in his favour. And on top of everything, he refused to let his guard down even for a second.

We were unaware of what was happening around us. There were lots of cries of pain, and the clashing of our weapons, but neither of us had ears for all of it. For us, only the other existed right now.

"So tell me Sage," I said, partly knowing that this would get his attention, "What if you and Kitty are in the final two? Will you kill her?"

He looked into my eyes for a second, distracted, and I seized the moment to throws him off me. He fell on his back, and I quickly brought down my sword. He rolled out of the way, and the sword only managed to graze his side, but the damage was done.

The spear wasn't in his hand anymore.

I struck again, and he dodged it. I could see the panic in his eyes as he looked around for anything that could help me. I kicked him in the gut and he fell back down with a cry.

"You didn't answer. Will you kill her? After all, she has abandoned you…"

He didn't speak at that. His eyes darted back and forth, trying to figure out a way out of this, but he knew he was cornered. I raised my sword.

And then it happened. _Again._

This second earthquake was even more shocking than the first one. There were cracks forming in the floor. You couldn't call them cracks though, for they were huge like pits, but the intensity was so strong that I fell over. I looked up and saw that the boys from Seven and Ten fell right into a pit, and two cannons rung one after the other in quick succession.

I turned towards Sage, wanting to finish it quickly, but the sneak had grabbed the chance to get hold of his weapon again. I saw Nine getting to her feet at the same time, swaying gently.

Sage attacked with a cry, and I parried. He kicked at me but I jumped back to avoid it, only to find myself at the edge of a pit. He thrust his spear at me again, but this time I moved sideways. As a result, he slipped, and soon he was dangling from the edge.

This was my chance to finish him off. I struck at him but then I felt something pierce the back of my neck.

No… This couldn't happen.

How could I have ignored that she was awake again? And that she had the knack of getting the target right at the wrong time?

At least I didn't fall into the pit. That would have been embarrassing. Before I could say or do anything, somebody struck at my chest with a knife.

I knew this was the end.

As I closed my eyes for the final time, I saw Kitty trying to pull Sagittarius back onto the floor. And then there was nothing.

 **Nine Price (16) D3F**

King was dead as well. This might be a good time to escape.

Grabbing the bag having '3' on it, I started sneaking towards the exit, making sure that Kitty wouldn't see me. She was trying to pull her ally up, but maybe his weight was too much for her. Anyway, I was almost at the exit now. I could get away. It wasn't that far.

And just when I was at the door, a knife came flying towards me and embedded itself in my neck. No, this couldn't happen! Was it Kitty?! I looked up, even as I was falling down, to see Judah standing and looking at me, tears running down

her cheeks. She mouthed the word 'sorry', but I didn't want it.

So I was right. If one was kind to you, they had to die. Till now others had gone because of me. And now, I was going because of her. I didn't bear her any grudge though. She had to do it, there was no choice.

And so, I closed my eyes, where I still had the image of her running towards me, or rather the exit, just as the cannon rung.

* * *

 _Meanwhile…_

"What the hell happened?"

"How are we- goodness, maybe I'm not cursed after all!"

"How could this happen?"

"Th-thanks! But what's happening?!"

Alan smiled at the two tributes in front of him sadly. He was glad that they had managed to save these two, especially Nikona as he was his tribute, but he wished this had never happened in the first place. It had taken a whole lot of planning to execute the plan. In the Capitol, they knew him as Julius, and he was friends with gamemaker Matthew. That enabled him to get him to tell him about a few controls and all, and in turn he had passed that information to Ruby, who had efficiently hacked the system to cause the earthquake again. Of course, it was going to raise a few eyebrows, but Alan didn't care.

"Julius?" Nikona asked, "How-how did this happen?"

"Later kiddo," he replied, "I have to get you both to safety now. Come along. My friends are waiting to escort you out of here."

"But you're a Capitolite," Ryder said, narrowing his eyes, "Why did you do this?"

Alan turned towards him with another sad smile of his. "I'm not from the Capitol, my home is District Five."

And then, grabbing the hands of the two very confused tributes, he lead them out of there.

 **Yeah, I know. Another two escaped. And you'll say you haven't Roslin and Raylic again either. But trust me, all four of these will be important. If I'll write a sequel to this, maybe after Eclipse, you'll see all four of them in action. Anyway, what do you think of this chapter? Any thoughts? Anything unexpected? What do you think of the final three? Did you expect them to make it so far?**

 **Eulogies:**

 **7** **th** **\- Nikona Linwwod: Nikona! You were so amazing, and so unique that I couldn't kill you! Honestly, the whole 'I'm going to die and so are you' thing made me fall in love with him! He had the drive, but he was so pessimistic, something that were so contradictory to each other that it worked perfectly. Nikona was extremely fun to write, and I love him. See Nik, you aren't cursed! :D**

 **6** **th** **\- Ryder Venison: Ryder was so real. Like he was so damn real that I honestly felt that I wasn't writing a character, I was writing about a real person. He was so low-key and yet he had the personality to make his presence felt. His relationship with Nikona was most beautiful, and I loved his rational thoughts (and irrational ones too when he checked out the fridge XD) but yeah, it was amazing to be in his head. Thanks for submitting him!**

 **5** **th** **\- King Tychun: I never thought King would come this. I never thought I'd love his character so much. In fact, from all my stories, he is the first D1 guy who managed to not only come in top ten, but also in top five. Initially, I had trouble writing him, and maybe I ignored him a bit due to that. But after you told me about it, I realised I was doing wrong, and then when I thought hard about it, I realised how easy and smooth it was to write him. Gradually, he became my favourite tribute to write, and my favourite Career here. Rest in peace King, you'll be missed. Thanks for submitting such a wonderful character.**

 **4** **th** **\- Nine Price- NINE! I had a blast writing her! Just like King, she is the first D3 tribute ever to make it this far in my story, and she deserved it. Her personality was simple and complex at the same time, which provided for a lot of creative liberty. Her story was the most touching, and she was one of the easiest tributes to write. Her POVs were usually painful, but they were enjoyable to write. Thank you for creating such a wonderful girl. Rest in peace Nine. We'll miss you.**

 **And next chapter will be the finale! Who do you think will win? And who do you want to win? Well, the victor has been decided, and I think you're going to like them, especially if your votes are any implication of how you feel. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter.**

 **Have a great day!**


	36. Chapter 36

The Fifth Night

Fancy "Kitty" Viridian (15) D8F

It took some amount of real hard work to get this guy back on the floor. Part of the reason is that he refused to give me his spear no matter how much I told him that I'd not lose it. But no. He had to be an idiot and cause trouble. Finally I yanked the spear from his hand forcefully and then grabbed his free hand to pull him up. However, that wasn't easy either because although he was slim he was still pretty heavy.

Once he was on the floor beside me safely, breathing as if he hadn't breathed in years, I slapped him. He grabber his cheek, looking at me in fear and bewilderment.

"What did I do now?" he asked, "What was that for?"

In reply to his question, I slapped him again on the others cheek.

"The first one was for not handing that's spear and being a git. And the second one was for falling into that thing. You had no business doing that! Didn't you think of me even once?!"

Sage just stared at me stupidly, rubbing both his cheeks. Just when I thought he had nothing to say, Sage wrapped his arms around me and drew me in a hug. I buried my face in his chest and he just held me, not saying a thing other than a simple 'thank you' but it meant the world to me.

Yes, I was one of those stupid people who fall in love with a person they'd met a week ago. And I was proud to be that person. I was glad I met Sage, and I was happy to know that I could love someone so much. After all, he was the first person who not only put up with my eccentricity, but also assured me that it was fine to be this way. That a cat girl wasn't necessarily a snobby idiot.

I drew back from his embrace and grinned at him.

"Only three of us are there," he said solemnly, his voice shaking just a bit.

"I know," I whispered back, and just to l purred again, but it did not make him smile.

"Come on Kitty, we should check out what supplies we acquired."

* * *

Judah Pocks (16) D10F

I didn't know for how long I was passed out. A few minutes? A few hours? It didn't matter right now though, because my splitting headache was killing me. Ryder had hit me a bit too hard and I couldn't think straight anymore. I remembered that when I came to at the feast, I threw a knife at King. And after that at Nine.

Nine...

I couldn't get over the fact that I killed her. She was so broken. She must have a family. And I killed her without a thought. Did that make me as bad as the Careers... or worse?

I just wanted everything to end then. But after killing Nine I felt so dizzy that I knew I had to get away from there and not engage myself in another fight. It wasn't good I did because the moment I entered the nearest room, I passed out.

Was Fancy able to get Sagittarius out? If there had been any Cannons, I had missed them.

Holding my head, I grabbed the bag I had seized and opened it to see if there was anything worth in there. At least there was water and there was something like a first aid kit. I let out a breath. There might be something there that could help me. I looked through my the vials, all of them labelled with what they were supposed to be the cure for. There were lots of 'for fever' but then I found out one for migraine, along with some bandages. I sighed. Well, at least I could try to heal myself.

However, a silvery glint caught my eye. What was there? Gingerly, I reached in and grabbed it. The feel of cold metal seemed to energise me. I felt weird that it would do so but the new dagger seemed to give me...hope.

I had come very far now, too far to lose. Too far to let emotions get the better of me. No, I had to win. For myself, I had to.

* * *

Sagittarius "Sage" Ryans (18) D4M

One thing that I was uncomfortable doing was removing my shirt in front of Kitty. But she was so forceful that I had to take my shirt off, and the biting cold made me tremble so hard that I looked as if I was a vibrating machine, something that Kitty was quick to point out.

Ironically, there were lots of ointments present in her bag. And one such ointment was exactly what my wounded side needed. So now, she was gently rubbing it over my wound. I shivered at her soft touch as it was tickling me but she refused to let me do it myself.

"You won't be able to do it properly," she said and then meowed angrily. I laughed even as my body rattled in the cold.

"Oh well, thanks girl!"

"I'm a cat Sage," she reminded me, "Not a girl."

So I kept my mouth shut, enjoying her company right now. We both knew that we couldn't be together for much longer, and yet she continued to help me. Our partnership was going to end soon though, no matter how hard we'd try. It was going to be over soon, maybe tonight.

"Here," she said after she had put some bandages on my wound, "It's not done well butt it's done. Put on your shirt now before you start dancing due to cold. Meowww."

I grinned at her as put it back on and then gave her a quick hug, trying to memorise her feel.

"Thanks CAT," I said mischievously, "Now let's see what else we got in the feast."

* * *

Fancy "Kitty" Viridian (15) D8F

"No fair!" I whined, " You got another spear! Whereas I got a packet of dust!"

Sage laughed at me, pointing at me while doing so may I add, and then swung his new spear in the air to show off. I sat down again with a huff. Why did he get a new spear and I got a packet of dust? Dust? Seriously?! Who would send a tribute dust?!

"It's dirt by the way, Kitty," Sage said smugly, "Not dust."

"And how is this dirt supposed to help me?"

"I don't know," he said, "But this spear! It's exactly like the one at home!"

I poured as I looked at him fondling his new spear lovingly. I was going to miss this. Here we were right now, joking and being happy. It was because that we weren't the only ones left. But if it came to it then what would we do? What would I do? Would I kill Sage? Or rather, could I kill Sage?

It wasn't a question I wanted to think on because I didn't know the answer. Was I ready to toss away my life for someone I met a week ago? But then that someone was my best friend on the entire world. Ugh! Why did I have to get Reaped?! And why the hell did he volunteer?! If neither had happened, we wouldn't even know each other and we'd both live. Why was life so unfair?!

I decided I couldn't sit still and think all this. I needed to move or else my thoughts alone would kill me. Standing up, I started towards the exit of the room, just to make sure Judah wasn't anywhere near by.

"What happened Kitty?" Sage asked as he lowered his spear. That idiot had one in both his hands, maybe he was seeing which one was better.

"I'll just go check nobody's around."

Just as I was getting to the exit, he called out, "Take your knife and dirt, Cat."

I turned out to face him, brows raised. "Listen Sagittarius Ryans, I'm not-"

"KITTY!"

He yelled out as he threw his old spear at me. What?! However, at that moment something sharp pierced the base of my skull, even as the spear went past my head.

What was happening? This couldn't be right! I was supposed to be in the final two! The sharp object was pulled out from inside me and I let out a guttural cry even as Sage, my Sage came running towards me, yelling my name.

Darkness surrounded me but I knew that he had caught me in his arms before I hit the floor.

* * *

Sagittarius "Sage" Ryans (18) D4M

The world seemed to be falling.

The sound of the explosion echoed throughout the planet as I caught my friend. No... this was a joke. She'd wake up right now.

"Kitty," I said, "Enough with the jokes. Get up now."

Her glassy eyes stared back at me, no muscle in her body seemed to be moving. I laid her on the floor and shook her. Why was she playing? Didn't she know it was a serious time?! And- and why was there so much blood? WHY WASN'T SHE SPEAKING?!

I felt somebody coming at me. I moved out of the way at the last second, holding onto my new spear. My side ached due to the earlier injury and I needed help. Why wasn't Kitty getting up?!

Judah came at me with her dagger again, an intensity in her eyes that bordered on insanity. The blade was dripping with blood and I frowned. Whose was it?

Just as she came closer though, I jumped sideways and thrust my spear at her. She dodged it efficiently before running back and taking my old spear from the ground. She jumped over Kitty's body- how dare she!- and then leapt at me with a cry. The movement was so sudden that I couldn't anticipate its timing well, and she struck at my side again.

I cried out in pain as tears threatened to fall down. But even now Kitty refused to get up and help me. What was she doing?!

"Kitty, I can do with some assistance!" I cried out, dodging Judah's jab. She was using two weapons at the same time, and I didn't even know how. It seemed as if the manic brightness of her eyes were guiding her to use them.

"Kitty!"

"STOP IT!"

I stared at my enemy as looked ready to explode. "Stop acting this way!"

"What is it to you how I act?"

She huffed angrily and then stabbed at me. I had idiotically let my guard down, and her dagger pierced my stomach just a bit before I wrenched myself back. She stabbed again and again but I deflected her with my spear.

I had forgotten about the pits.

Just like before, I slipped into the pit, holding onto the edge as death was just a step away.

* * *

Judah Pocks (16) D10F

I gasped as Sagittarius slipped over the edge. He swore at the top of his voice, before keeping his spear aside and grabbing the edge with both the hands. No, this was the chance. I couldn't let him come up again. Clutching my dagger tightly, I walked over to him, tired of everything that was happening. I had another kill to my name already. I had to do just one more time.

I crouched down beside the pit and stabbed the dagger in his hands.

His screams were so loud that I dropped the dagger, startled. He was swearing and yelling and calling for Fancy but still held on. Getting over it, I picked up my dagger again, but this time, Sage punched me with his injured hand, yelling out as the contact hit his wound further. I reeled back when he punched again, throwing me on my back. Groaning, I forced myself to get up, seeing that he was on his feet again.

"FANCY VIRIDIAN I COULD HAVE DIED THERE!"

My hands shook as I looked at him. He knew she was dead and would never respond, no matter how much he called out. But he couldn't accept it at all. In fact, he was going crazy. It hurt to see someone like this, breaking down in front of my eyes. But I had to do it. There was no other choice.

"What did you do?" Sage shrieked frantically, " Why isn't she moving?!"

"Bring it on Sagittarius!" I cried and charged at him again. He swung his spear, and I ducked to avoid it, but it went right through my shoulder blade.

The pain wasn't something I could describe. It was excruciating, and I tried to shout but no sound came. All I was aware of was that I could see stars now while I fell down, holding my shoulder.

"What did you do?!" He yelled again in rage.

I wasn't going to lose. No, not like this. I forced myself to get up and attack him again. This time, I found my target. My dagger cut his face, drawing a line from his eye to his chin, cutting his lips. It was a horrible sight and I felt throwing up. What had I done to him?

He didn't even try to speak anything as he stumbled and fell. He tried hard to get up but failed pathetically.

It was time to end his misery.

I dragged myself towards him, holding my dagger so tightly that my hands lost their feeling. I looked him in the eye, wretched and weak. He clenched his fist angrily and then thrust his hand towards me.

I didn't know what he'd thrown at me, but my eyes were blinded now. I couldn't see anything! I rubbed my eyes, trying to get the dirt out of them. Painfully, I opened my eyes, just to see a spear flying towards me.

Before I could process what was happening, the spear embedded itself in my chest.

How-how could this happen? I had come so far, I was in the final two! I tried to hold on to my weapon, but it dropped to the floor, and I followed soon after. I was feeling much colder than before now and I couldn't stop trembling. I saw Sagittarius run over to Fancy, and bring her to his chest, tears streaming down his face but not uttering a word. He couldn't speak after all, since I had cut his lips...

I felt tired. So tired. All that for nothing? I fought so hard! So hard...

The cannon rung, just as I felt unable to move a single muscle. But my heart was pounding still! I was alive!

"Ladies and gentlemen! Tonight I present you with the victor of the Seventy Second Hunger Games: SAGITTARIUS RYANS!"

I could already hear the applause in the Capitol, even as the victor cried silently over his dead friend. And then, there was nothing.

* * *

A/N: So here it is. Goodness, it was SO hard writing this! I'm sorry it isn't very good as I typed it on my phone... two weeks ago. My fingers were almost falling off by the end of each POV so it was a bit... rushed? Choppy? I don't know.

Okay, so first I'll talk about the polls. See, I had five tributes shortlisted for who I wanted to win. Then, I thought that whoever among them will get the highest vote will win. So yes, you could say it was a 50-50 thing. As for the other placements, I chose it the same way. However, I was surprised that four out of five people I had selected had gotten the most votes. Sage had the highest, then Judah, Kitty and Nine. Talon was there but surprisingly he did not have many votes. Sorry if it's confusing, but my fingers are hurting now.

Eulogies:

3rd: Fancy Viridian- Okay, I'll be honest here. Fancy was my favourite character in the entire story. Out of all the tributes I'd received, I loved her the most. She was so wild, so different, so weird that I couldn't help it! Writing Fancy was the easiest for me, and I loved doing so. Whenever I had a Fancy POV, I used to smile to myself. I'll miss writing Fancy. Rest in peace Kitty, dear. Thanks for submitting such a fun character Pi!

2nd: Judah Pocks- Caleb! You created a wonderful girl! She was so SO different AND relatable at the same time! I mean, she was religious but she could still kill to survive. She could do wrong, regret it, but admit it that she had no choice. That was a part of me that I saw in her and hence I was so passionate about her. I hoped I didn't mess her up. Rest in peace Judah, you'll be missed.

1st: Sagittarius Ryans- He was the first choice of victor for me since the Private Sessions, and it remained so till the end. Plus, the majority of votes were with him too. Anyway, Sage was a Career, yes, but he was human, and that was what I liked so much about him. Of course, I've received compassionate Careers in the past, but Sage just gave the vibes of someone strong and determined, without that being too obvious. He had his weaknesses that were fatal, and he had training that gave him an advantage. Sage was very easy to write too, and his and Kitty's arcs were done in my head the day I got their forms. It was amazing to explore his character, his fears, his emotions and it was a joy to write this guy. Yes Sage won, despite the fact that Cress, who was also from D4 won in my first SYOT. Misty, you did it. Congratulations on your first victor! Sage deserved it.

So here we come to the end of these games. It was a blast to write this story, especially these thirteen chapters. Thank you all of you who submitted, because no story is complete without characters, and this story excelled in that department thanks to you all.

Please do let me know your thoughts on the chapter as well as the whole story. Your thoughts on the victor? Anything you want to tell me? Please do let me know.

And now, before I go, I'd like to give a shoutout to IVolunteerAsAuthor. He has recently posted a new SYOT, Home of the Brave 2, which is the sequel to Home of the Brave by RedEoses1000 (who is an amazing writer by the way) and the story has a really interesting concept, so I'll recommend taking a look at it and if you can, please submit a few tributes! After all, it will be Caleb's 10th or 11th SYOT. So yeah, check it out!

And have a great day!

PS: It's not allowing me to bold or italicise anything!


	37. Chapter 37

Sagittarius "Sage" Ryans (19) Victor of the 72nd Hunger Games

It was weird how loneliness had assumed the role of my best friend since the past eight months.

Being alone, letting the telephone ring again and again without ever answering it, and holding the picture of my favourite cat to my chest as I lay in bed was my favourite hobby. Of course, my kitty never replied, or rather, my Kitty never replied, but I was content in holding the cold photo frame against my bare chest. As I looked around at the beautiful walls of my bedroom, painted in the lightest of green and having a really big and comfortable bed in it, I turned the photo frame so that she too could look at it.

"All this is boring without you."

Of course, Kitty never replied. She never even smiled in the photo; it was a really serious one.

"I wish you were here," I said, "I'd like to know what you look like without those cat ears and all."

Or maybe, what you looked like without your car attire.

Marrying a fifteen year old would have been scandalous here but it would have been worth it. I was ready to take shaming if it would come. But really Kitty...

"Why did you die?"

I wasn't crying, my voice hadn't cracked either. I was genuinely curious. Didn't she love me? It seemed that way from the look in her eyes when I saw her for the final time. I had reason to believe she loved me. Then why the hell did she have to go and die? Why did she leave this guilt and pain to me? Why didn't she take it on herself? Wasn't that selfish?

"It could be you in this room holding my photo," I told her photograph sternly, "But you never loved me. That's why you left me here. Had you loved me, you'd have let me die. Kill me even. You had no business to die at that point of the game."

She unabashedly kept staring at me.

"Good night, idiot," I whispered as I touched my lips to the photograph before putting out the lights and getting inside the blanket.

Nights were cold in the Capitol, just like the city itself.

* * *

Regal Winter (20) Rebel Leader

This was the weirdest headquarter any rebel group could ever have. But then, Cress and Anya had designed it.

It was really like a very posh house. With all comforts and everything people could imagine. I knew a few things about comforts being a former President's son.

"How's he?" I asked Haley, who was making coffee for Sage.

"Not good," Haley replied with a deep sigh, her shoulders slumping, "I don't know what I can do to help him. It's been eight months and-and he just-"

"Calm down!" I said, taking my friend into an embrace. It really felt weird, considering she was younger than me when I died and now she's almost a decade older.

I could relate to Sagittarius on more than just one level. Being the son of the father who loved to violate him both mentally and physically in unspeakable ways, and the brother of the sister who was executed only because she agreed with her brother and loved him, I knew pain well. And Sagittarius had lost a loved one. I remembered the way I'd been numb for a couple of years after my sister's death. Had it not been for Alan, I would have never recovered.

The problem was that Sage did not have that someone. He never opened up to anyone and tried to act normal around us. Except Cress, of course. Sage had bared his heart in front of the older man, and had wept on the shoulders of the person whom he first thought was responsible for his cousin's death. Now, they both understood each other.

"I'll take the coffee," I offered.

Haley looked at me reluctantly, her eyes giving away her doubts. I was, after all, a clone. A lesser human and hence I should lack the ability to understand other people and their pains and feelings. Plus, I've had negligible interaction with Sage. I smiled in amusement as Haley brought forward the mug hesitantly. My once closest friend really had doubts about my intentions.

I didn't grace her with any clarifications.

I knocked lightly on Sage's door, waiting for a response... Or a lack of it. As expected, it was the latter. I turned the doorknob, surprised that the door wasn't locked.

The room was surprisingly clean, and all the lights were put out except one small nightlight. It glowed rather dimly, but was enough to illuminate Sage's figure under the blanket, trembling slightly. It wasn't really that cold.

Nightmare?

Maybe I shouldn't have done that, maybe I should have had remembered my limits as a lesser human. But as I sat down on his bed and lay my hand gently on his sweaty forehead, his eyes suddenly snapped open.

"I-I didn't want to wake-"

"Who told you that you could come in?" he asked calmly, his voice barely concealing his rage.

"Nobody."

"Then why are you here? Go away!"

I had never seen him act like that. We've never had much to talk about but even I knew that today he was reacting differently.

"Alright," I replied, getting up, "Haley didn't know that you were asleep so she sent coffee for you. Good night."

"I don't get why she'd trust you," he muttered suddenly just as I reached the door, "You're not even human."

While I knew he had said that not because of spite but only due to his sadness on loosing his love, it did sting a bit. After all, I'd never asked to be revived again. I had thought my story had ended when I'd died. Maybe it would have been better that way. At least I wouldn't be painfully reminded of my truth again and again.

"Good night," I whispered before opening the door and walking out. I seriously wished that he would get good sleep. Sometimes, it really helped.

* * *

Nikona Linwood (17) 72nd Games' Escapee

"Don't worry Nikona," Ryder said for the fiftieth time. I told him again and again that I wasn't worried at all. But the thing was that I was worried.

My trust in Alan (or Julius, my mentor) was strong enough to know he'd make it out alive in any situation. The man had a sharp mind, and kindness with heartlessness at the same time. But now, he'd been gone for five months. I saw him a couple of times on TV, giving interviews about what he was expecting in future tributes. Sage had been chosen to mentor District Seven and so, Alan could take a retirement there. His job was only to train tributes at the training centre, which gave him ample amount of time to do more important stuff. He was definitely still providing information to the rebels, information that was crucial. Regal often summoned meetings, but none of the escapee tributes or Sage had been allowed in them.

"You guys are already too stressed," Regal said, "This will only trouble you more. If there's something important, we'll let you know."

They never let us know anything that happened in the meetings. Something was definitely up, because some strangers, around thirty of them, showed up at the headquarters two weeks ago and Cress left with them. There had also been bombings in various parts of the Capitol, parts where only influential people stayed or worked. The attacks never happened among the masses, most probably because Regal's followers from the previous decade were still around, ready to do anything for their leader and his mission.

But whatever the case, I was worried about Alan.

"Nikona," Ryder said as he touched my knee lightly, "Something amazing's going to happen today."

"What?" I asked in surprise. Searching my memories, I couldn't really find the answer.

The blankness of Ryder's face almost made me laugh.

"You tell me."

"Ruby's going to have her delivery today!"

Realising I had forgotten that, I slapped my forehead. Seriously, how could I forget?! A few days ago, I was helping Raylic make toys for the baby. And now...

"To hell with you Alan!"

Ryder smiled at that before letting out a sigh. Putting my arm around his shoulder, I asked him what the matter was.

"I hope that, maybe if Sage plays with the baby, he'll recover."

That was true indeed. All of us were hoping for his recovery and were heavily depending on the baby for it. True, all four of us had been in the Games, but neither the twins nor the two of us had actually killed. I could say that I wouldn't have been this traumatised, but how could I know for sure? Didn't I think I had no chance to live? Yet, here I was. In this underground bungalow these people had made.

"Where are the twins?" I asked after a few seconds.

"I don't know. Maybe you should ask where Anya is."

I laughed out at that. It was a barely concealed secret that Raylic really fancied the girl who, in turn, didn't really accept or reject him. The three of them spent too much time together, Roslin more so because he had no choice. He didn't really trust her and often told that to her face. Being the actress she was, she always laughed it off.

"I wonder what Roslin will do if Raylic and Anya suddenly decide to get married."

As soon as I said that, Ryder threw my arm off his shoulder with a laugh.

"Man, you have a dirty mind!"

"What? It's a genuine question!"

"Too genuine Nikona!"

Even as we tried to stiffle our laughter, the twins threw open the door and ran in, panting, a look of terror on Raylic's face and one of fear and worry on Roslin's. We knew the matter was serious as Roslin too looked scared and upset and angry at the same time.

"What happened?" Ryder asked, bracing himself for the worst.

"They've caught Alan and Cress and are demanding that Regal and all the rest of us surrender."

* * *

DAMN XD I'm sure you guys thought I was dead, and this story too. But here we are, both of us, alive and kicking. Maybe not too much, but it feels really good to write after two centuries. Or what really feels like two centuries.

I hope this wasn't too bad. If I've not contacted you or read your story, I'm sorry. I'll catch up as soon as possible, but I don't know how soon that is. I miss writing and reading, but after spending some fourteen-fifteen hours in college and college related stuff, it's become hard. I'll complete all my stories, definitely. But it'll take time.

Enough about me though. How are you, you beautiful people? I hope everything is alright with you all, and if you guys are still in school, please enjoy it. After that, life is horrible. And monotonous. And silly.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. What do you think will happen after this? Any guesses?

So I hope you have a really fantastic day!


	38. Chapter 38

**Sasha Flame (22) D5 Victor**

The smoke that arose in front of my eyes engulfed me completely, making me forget the situation that we were in. Somewhere in my mind I knew that people in that room were even more annoyed because of my smoking, but at a time when both alcohol and drugs were out of reach, cigar was the next best thing.

"Can you just stop?" Haley said in annoyance, breaking the deadly silence that was prevailing in the room.

"No," I said.

"Then just leave the room."

I turned away from her to look at Regal. The poor boy looked broken as he rested his face in his hands. He had not said a word since we got the news. Of course, he was torn between duty and mission. If he surrendered, the rebellion would die-again- and if he didn't, there were more than two hundred rebels' lives on stake. He was also alive when Snow was a vice-President (most of us were), but he was almost the same age as now, and knew how he worked up close and personal. Attempting a rescue mission would be a suicide attempt, maybe. From my experience with Snow, it probably would.

"We can try to… bargain," I said hesitantly, my voice echoing in the silent hall.

"Sasha," Ryder said, "Shouldn't you be with Ruby? She's going to give birth to your child."

And there he hit the nerve! I _knew_ I should be with her. When I was hospitalised, she had always stayed by my side. And right now, when she needed me, there was nobody with her. Suddenly I didn't want to smoke any more, and I put it out immediately.

"He's right," Anya whispered softly, "Come, I'll accompany you."

"I'm not going."

"But-"

"No."

Right now, there were pressing matters on hand. Ruby was a lioness, she didn't need anyone. But here, there were hundreds of people who needed saving.

"I'll surrender."

As soon as the two words left his mouth, every pair of eyes turned to Regal. Most of us gasped, unable to believe that he was ready to give up so easily. Sage, on the other hand, just frowned at him.

"And how do you know he'll spare them?" he and Roslin asked together. Funny how they both voiced it simultaneously while Raylic just watched in a sad silence.

"He'll just kill _all_ of us!" Anya exclaimed, "And then there'll be no one left!"

"I said," Regal answered slowly as he looked her in the eye, proceeding to do so to each of us, " _I'll_ surrender. Not anyone else."

The idea didn't appeal to us. Considering that ninety percent of the people joined the rebellion only because their leader was back somehow, I didn't think it was a good notion. Nikona, being the smart guy that he was, voiced my thoughts better than I could.

The Capitolite smiled at that in a way that was very… business-like. I didn't like what I saw, hoping he didn't have some notorious idea in his head.

"Don't worry. I'll handle _everything._ "

 **Charles "Chip" Chevrolet (19) D6 Victor**

I couldn't believe I was feeling so sorry for somebody.

The rebels had their own hospital with really gifted doctors. But the woman had nobody by her as she barely managed to remain conscious. I had been watching her for some thirty minutes now, but there were no tears, no crying, no complaining, nothing. Her eyes and twitching lips expressed her pain but she was a brave woman and I couldn't believe I was admiring her from behind the door.

Doctor Kura walked out from the door, a very grim expression on her face.

"Mr. Chevrolet, is there any relative of Mrs Flame here?"

She was obviously talking about Sasha, but the man never really gave his wife the attention or love she deserved. It was evident even today, when he was not here. It was weird how the two never talked of separating even after this. Everyone argued that Ruby was dominant and her husband meek but seriously, when did meek people stop caring for their partners? Especially after everything Ruby did for him.

"Mr. Chevrolet, is there any relative of Mrs Flame here?"

Doctor Kura looked at me expectantly, hoping I would say yes. I shouldn't have bothered, I should have just walked away. That would be more suitable to my nature. But I couldn't. I just couldn't.

"Yes," I replied, "I'm here."

"You?"

"Her relatives couldn't make it here," I replied, "You know the situation is tense right now. So, I'm the only one right now."

"You'll have to register yourself as her relative."

"You can add me as a cousin."

She seemed reluctant but then decided to tell me anyway. The matter was certainly serious.

And when she told me, I didn't understand a single complication that was there. The only thing I understood was that either the girl or the baby could be saved. Kura was asking _me_ to make a choice.

But who was I to give any kind of permission in this matter? Neither was she my wife nor was it my kid. I cursed Sasha internally. Why did he get married when he couldn't handle it?! Why did I say that I was there for her?!what the hell did I get myself into?!

I couldn't show my unease to these people. They thought of me as a sociopath, and I had to play on that image. I couldn't let Kura see how troubled I felt because of this utterly unexpected and horrible situation.

"We don't have much time, Charles," she said softly, "Please, tell me."

I knew Ruby would hate me for this. Maybe everyone else too. After all, I didn't have the right to make a decision here. But I had to. I couldn't believe I was doing it, worrying about someone's life, feeling so broken about someone's pain. But it had to be done. It didn't matter whether they'd hate me or love me. I wouldn't be like Sasha.

"Save the mother, Kura."

 **Roslin Chevalier (17) 72** **nd** **Games' Escapee**

"How the hell did we get into this mess?!"

Anya was stomping in the room, biting her nails, pulling out her hair, her face red. I raised my brows at her whereas my stupid brother just looked on sadly.

"I've _never_ felt so helpless before!" she cried, and I was surprised to see tears literally running down her cheeks. Her bloodshot eyes, her tear-streaked face, her dishevelled hair and her hollow cheeks were only a shadow of her former beautiful self. I had noticed that her beauty had deteriorated over the past few months, but at this moment, it was hard to believe that I was looking at one of the most popular actresses and victors. She was barely recognisable.

"Anya, Anya nobody could've thought that they would all be caught! Especially Alan. That guy has been avoiding trouble in the last fourteen years."

"What good is that?!" she screamed in an almost hysterical way, "Everything- _everything_ \- will be destroyed now!"

"Anya," I interrupted her as politely as I could, although it was really hard, "Nothing's destroyed. We haven't lost yet. And it seems Regal has a plan."

"Regal has a plan," she mocked, "Do you know what his plan was last time? Suicide bombing. Can you believe it? _Suicide bombing!_ Do you think I have ANY reason to trust him or his PLANS?!"

Raylic looked stunned at seeing this avatar of his friend. Neither of us had really had the opportunity to witness Anya's eccentric behaviour, and it was confirmed when she threw the jug across the floor in mad rage, screaming out loud.

"I've worked so hard!" she wailed, "So *** hard! What the hell did I not give up for this?! And here I am, in a posh bungalow awaiting my fate!"

"Anya!" Raylic yelled at her suddenly, "Calm down! There's no reason to react this way!"

"No reason? _NO REASON?!"_ she screamed, and at that moment I really feared for my life. And I meant that very seriously. She was scary, and looked little more than one of those evil witches in children's horror stories. Her chest was heaving too fast and it was visible how hard it was for her to breathe.

"Idiot!" she cried, "If we're caught, you guys will be the first to be executed! You're not supposed to be alive!"

"We'll not be caught!" Raylic argued sternly.

"Yeah? And how do you know?"

"Anya," I said, "Things are not out of control. There's nothing to worry about."

I wasn't going to let her pick on my brother.

Her eyes turned to me and her shoulders sagged as the girl let out a groan of exasperation. Clenching her fists, she whispered as calmly as she could, "You're not understanding the enormity of our situation. Our allies might be dead right now even as we talk. Even if Regal surrenders, nobody will be safe. And Snow will make him spit out our names for sure."

"He held his own last time. He'd do it again."

"Not if Alan dies," she retorted, "That guy will forget everything about his 'mission' and 'vision' due to his personal loss. The death of one man can cause death of hundreds of others, including you!"

What she said did make sense, and now I could understand why she was panicking so much. It was true… how could we know for sure that the rebels would be allowed to leave if we surrendered? Snow could just murder every single one of us.

"We're doomed. We're simply doomed!"

 **Hello everyone! I know, this is really quick, lol. I need to thank Pi for motivating me to write this. Seriously, had it not been for your message, this particular chapter would have taken weeks again. Thank you, friend!**

 **I'd appreciate your thoughts on this. I had stuff planned for the plot, but I wanted to finish the Games first because, at one time, only one thing can take priority. I can promise you that every chapter you'll have at least one POV from the tributes who are alive. I'm not going to ignore these little kids.**

 **Anyway, I hope you're in good health. Good health may lead to great wealth. I hope you achieve both.**

 **Have a great day!**


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